Twisted Fates
by PurpleForDonnie
Summary: Riley Fairchild tries every day to make up for her horrid past. When she runs across Grell Sutcliff, he's got a deal to make with her: help him kill a man who's been evading death... And in return, he'll try to save her life. In a race against time, will the two be able to save her? Will romance blossom? *GrellxOC Rated for violence and a few iffy scenes*
1. Chapter 1

*AN: I don't own any characters from Kuroshitsuji/Black Butler except my OC. Thanks for reading and don't be scared to give constructive criticism! This is my first Kuroshitsuji fiction, so please enjoy! Thanks! *

Riley Fairchild stalked into the dark night shadows, blending herself in with the blackness.

She pressed herself up against the stone wall and waited.

In about ten minutes, a man would walk around that corner.

And when he did, he would die.

This was what she got paid to do. Riley was an assassin; she wandered from city to city, receiving jobs from serious strangers who didn't want their identities known. Amongst those who wanted someone dead but didn't want to do the dirty work, the way Riley worked was well-known.

She received letters from people, usually anonymous although sometimes she'd get a name, which she would then chew up and spit out into a river or lake.

And she never had any other contact with her dealers. Once she had done the dirty work, she would receive an envelope full of money.

Nobody had ever cheated her, and not paid her before. Usually the customers were quite honest in that way.

Riley pressed herself up against the wall even further, and waited.

She held a gun in her right hand. She was a natural with weapons.

She could shoot a running man from a rooftop with frightening accuracy.

She could throw a knife and hit whatever she was aiming at, no matter the distance.

Even though she was young, Riley was skilled.

The man she going to kill soon: he was a man who had gotten away with armed robbery. In the process of robbing the town bank, he'd also shot and killed a little boy.

The boy's parents were the ones who'd sent her the letter.

Riley did as the letter requested; that this man be killed in return for killing. A life for a life.

Death was not something that Riley took heavily.

She'd been around it so often that it was a part of her life. She'd grown used to the passing of someone's soul.

Hell, most of the time, she was the cause of it.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps padding across the cobblestone, and she snapped back into attention.

It was the man.

She could see him, walking toward her, a suitcase in his right hand.

Riley waited until he was close enough to see her, then she stepped out into the light.

"Theodore Corbin?" Riley asked him.

"Yes?" he replied, stopping in front of her, with a confused look across his face.

Riley studied him for a moment, then whipped the gun out and shot him in the stomach.

The man collapsed, dropping his suitcase onto the ground. It broke open, and money flew out, circling in the air around them.

It looked like he'd just robbed another store, Riley thought. She wondered if he'd killed anybody else.

As the man's dying eyes looked up at her, she squatted down next to him.

"That's for the little boy," she whispered, putting the gun in the inside pocket of her coat.

The man stared up at her, blood dripping from his mouth, with knowing eyes. He understood.

Then, his head fell to the side and his ragged breathing stopped.

Riley stayed there for a moment, and closed her eyes.

It was all just part of the job.

She stood back up and walked down the cobblestone, the weight of the gun against her chest like her heart had been weighed down by grief.

Riley walked down the street, wondering why she couldn't make herself leave the town she had just killed the man in.

There was something that was making her stay.

Riley wasn't known for nonsense like this. Usually, the only unseen force she believed in was gut instinct, but she couldn't make herself leave the town.

Whenever Riley killed someone, she always got away from the scene as quickly as possible for several reason.

This time, Riley wandered around town, her hands in her pockets, her hood pulled over her head.

She started walking back to where she had killed Theodore Corbin.

The money.

Maybe that's what was keeping her there. She needed to return the money to the police station, before someone wandered across the body and stole the suitcase.

Riley started running and finally turned the corner to the murder scene.

But... In the darkness, Riley could see that the body was still there. And all of the money.

But... There was someone standing above them.

The person rubbed their hands together as if they had just finished a dirty task, and took a deep breath.

Riley waited for the person to walk out into the light, and wondered if he were going to steal the money.

As the man took a step in her direction, the light finally shone against him.

He was tall, with bright red hair. He had glasses, with a chain, in front of yellowish-green eyes. The man was wearing a dark vest against a white shirt, with the ties around the shoulders like a banker or stockbroker would usually wear. And the man had on a red jacket, which seemed to be a bit too small for him and hung off his shoulders, as if he couldn't get it all the way on.

Riley stared at him in disbelief. Never in her life had she seen such a ridiculous-looking man.

What was he doing here?

"You can stop hiding," the man said in a dramatic and nasally voice. He held out a hand in her direction. "I know you're over there."

Riley gathered up her courage and bravely walked up to him.

"Who are you?" Riley asked.

The man grinned at her, revealing pointed teeth, and spun in a circle.

"I am Grell Sutcliff- reaper extraordinaire!" he exclaimed, and stuck his tongue out at her.

Riley quietly studied the man. He was odd and different, and he seemed to not care at all about her opinions of him.

Riley kept her face indifferent.

"Well, what are you doing here, then?" she demanded. "I've got a job to finish."

"Job?! You mean he wasn't dead?!" Grell looked appalled at himself.

"What?" Riley asked, confused. "Of course he was dead, you imbecile! I'm talking about the money. I have to sneak it back into the police station before someone steals it."

Grell seemed to calm down a bit.

"Oh, good," he said, waving a hand at her. "I thought I'd taken his soul early!"

"Taken his... Soul?" Riley repeated. "What are you talking about? Are you a lunatic?"

Grell barked a laugh in amusement.

"That's up for discussion, darling!" Grell replied with a wink. "Anyway, like I said, I'm a reaper. I have a list of souls that I must take, then I track them down and take them."

He leaned in close to her face and gave her a dramatic expression.

"Take this money back to the police first, because when you hear what I have to say, things are gonna change!" Grell added, standing back up and grinning at her again.

"Don't you tell me what to do," Riley told him, angrily. "I was planning on taking this money back anyway."

She walked around and gathered up all the loose notes before shoving them back into the suitcase. With a heave, she picked up the case by the handle and started walking down the street.

Grell caught up with her.

"Wait up, darling!" Grell called, and Riley could hear the clack of his boots. "I'm coming with you!"

"Don't call me darling!" Riley snapped. She didn't like the way he pronounced it. He was so dramatic that he put an odd emphasis on the word and it made Riley uncomfortable. "I have a name."

She didn't offer it to him.

"Want to tell me what it is, then?" Grell asked, purposely walking up beside her and waiting expectantly.

Riley huffed in irritation, but didn't answer.

"Well, that's just not fair, darling!" Grell exclaimed. "I told you mine! It's only appropriate for you to tell me yours!"

Riley rolled her eyes at his dramatics and growled as she lugged the giant suitcase.

"Riley," she replied in a mumble.

Grell was quiet a moment as he pondered.

"Riley, Riley, Riley!" Grell repeated, dancing in a circle around her as she walked. "Hm! I think I like darling better!"

Riley set her jaw and decided not to reply.

Maybe if she just ignored him, he'd leave her alone.

She quietly lugged the suitcase down the cobblestones, and grunted as she pulled.

"You want some help with that, cupcake?" Grell asked, stopping a few feet in front of her and staring down at her with a hand on his chin.

Riley seethed in anger but didn't answer. She just ignored him.

Grell laughed, and started to help her drag the heavy case, but Riley stopped him.

"No, I don't want your help!" she finally growled. "I want you to leave me alone!"

Grell stood back up and grinned mischievously at her.

"Whatever you say!" he replied, putting his fingertips to his chest, as if he'd been insulted. "But I can't leave you alone! Dear me! Like I said, I have a deal to make with you!"

"I don't want to make any deals!" Riley mumbled, trying to pass him up.

Grell quietly followed along behind the girl, watching as she struggled with the case, smirking as they neared the police station.

They finally stopped in front of the station and Riley tried to silently move the suitcase up the few steps.

"Watch out, and let me do this!" Grell exclaimed, and Riley looked up at him in surprise.

"Sh!" Riley quieted him. "They'll hear you!"

"They wouldn't dare!" Grell replied, bumping her off to the side with his hip. He picked up the suitcase with one hand and held it up with an extended arm, straight out in front of his body like it weighed merely nothing. "Ugh, you're right!" he cried dramatically, laying his free hand on his forehead. "This is heavy!"

Then he walked up the steps and carelessly tossed the heavy suitcase inside the door. Riley heard it land with a soft thump on the floor a few feet away into the darkness.

She stared at him in disbelief.

"There!" Grell said, satisfied, clapping his hands together. "They should find that! Now let's go so I can tell you all about this little deal we're going to make!"

"Wh-what?" Riley demanded, still wondering why no police had come out and arrested them. Grell was practically screaming and clapping his hands. And the suitcase had made a loud thump as it landed.

"Hurry before the police show up!" Grell exclaimed happily, grabbing her arm and leading her down the steps again.

Riley snatched her arm away from him and followed him into the dark path that led around the edge of town.

"What do you want from me?" Riley asked, actually a bit curious now. The man wouldn't have aided her thus far without having a good excuse.

Grell turned toward her once they were far enough away from the police station.

"Now!" Grell said, studying her with wide eyes. His glasses caught the moonlight a bit as he looked at her. "I want you to do a little assassinating for me!"

"You- you want me to kill people?" Riley repeated in surprise. This man had seemed too happy and exuberant to want anyone killed. Unless he had a dark side. Of course, he'd said he was a reaper, but Riley wasn't exactly sure if he was just a lunatic.

What kind of person believed they were a reaper?

It was absurd.

"Of course!" Grell exclaimed, waving a hand in the air. "It's this man! He keeps popping up on my list but he just won't die! I followed him around for a week once, but he's just beyond death's grasp! Now, people usually don't just skip around my list like that, and it's a bit insulting. My superior reapers are threatening to have me demoted again if I can't take this man's soul. But I don't want to kill him. I'm just not much on dirty work, darling. So, fate just had it that you are an assassin!"

Riley stared at Grell in hesitation.

He really was off the deep end.

But, hey. She WAS a hit-woman, after all. She'd killed people before. Maybe this would be like any other job.

"Right," Riley accepted. "I can kill him for you." She crossed her arms and gave him a serious look. "You're able to pay me, then, of course."

"Hah!" Grell laughed, giving her a wicked grin. He put a hand on his hip. "This is the part where everything changes, honey!"

"What are you talking about?" Riley demanded.

"My payment for you," Grell said. He took a deep breath as if he were about to give a long speech. "Well... Just look at this, darling, and tell me what you think!"

Grell pulled a book from somewhere behind him, and flipped it open, scanning the pages, turning them and studying them some more.

"Aha!" he cried, fixing his glasses. "Here it is!"

He held the book open toward her.

"This is my list, the one I've been telling you about!" Grell added.

Riley scanned the list, reading the unfamiliar names.

They were all in groups, maybe arranged by location.

Under the very last group on the page, a name stood out to her.

"Riley Fairchild!" Grell said, snapping the book shut again. "That's you, isn't it?"

Riley looked up at him in shock.

"I'm on your list?!" she gasped. "That's ridiculous!"

"Afraid not, my dear!" Grell grinned. "There you are! September 13th, eleven thirty-nine pm!"

Riley was in shock.

Death had never meant much to her, although it was a large part of her life. But... When it was her own death...

She had this sinking feeling in her stomach that Grell was not a lunatic- well, not in this manner, anyhow.

He was a reaper. And her name was on his list of souls to take.

"And after you've killed this man for me," Grell added, with an extravagant flair, "then I will take your name to my superior reapers and ask them for a Reconsideration."

"Reconsideration?" Riley asked. "They do that?"

"Well, yes, if I think that a person on my list should be spared. If the superior reapers agree that you will go on to do much positive change in the world, they will accept the Reconsideration!" Grell replied with a grin. "And look at you! You just saved a suitcase of money from being stolen! Surely you'll do SOME good in the world!"

Riley didn't know what to say.

She'd had to face her own death before, in her past. But this was here in front of her, in black and white, a statement saying that her death would occur on September thirteenth at eleven thirty-nine in the evening.

She looked up at Grell with a steely gaze. If there was one thing she knew, it was that she wasn't ready to die yet.

"Alright," Riley agreed. "I'll kill this man for you."

"Wonderful!" Grell exclaimed happily.

"But-" Riley added. "I'm going to need this in writing. In case I kill this man for you, and you just disappear."

"I am a reaper of my word, darling!" Grell replied. "But of course I'll put it in writing for you. I can relate. I, too, trust no one."

He gave her a wink, and grinned.


	2. Chapter 2

Riley gathered up her gun and ammo, and her knives, and slung her rucksack over her shoulder as usual.

Grell watched her prepare in fascinated silence and she turned to him.

"Alright, Grell," Riley said. "Tell me everything you know about this man."

"Sure thing, angel!" He grinned maliciously at her as she gave him a warning look. "His name's Benjamin Hansen. He's twenty years old, and is a Lord of the Hansen estate. He lives a couple hours away from here, in a small place outside of London called Mistune."

"Brilliant," Riley said. "I'll be off, then."

She turned and started to walk away, but Grell caught up with her quickly.

"Wait!" he called. "I'm coming with you!"

Riley sighed deeply, and glanced over at him.

"Why?" she asked. "I think I'm more than capable of taking care of this by myself."

"I'm coming along for the show!" Grell replied with a happy laugh. "The soul after Benjamin Hansen's is yours, so I'm free for a while."

Riley shook her head, half in agitation.

"Are we walking?!" Grell complained suddenly.

"I always walk," Rikey replied.

"We'd better hurry, then, sugar, because you only have a couple of weeks left!" Grell said, waving his hands dramatically in the air.

"Don't remind me," Riley sighed, and they continued on.

Riley and her grudging counterpart made their way down the abandoned dirt roads that led between towns. Every once in a while, they'd pass up a carriage that was making it's way into town, but for the most part it was quiet. It was also a beautiful end-of-August day. The sky was blue with only a few clouds. The wind was just cool enough to make the day comfortable. The grass alongside the dirt road was green and beautiful.

Although it seemed she could have much to talk about, Riley didn't feel like talking.

She was still upset that her life had apparently been cut short. She'd never really thought about when she would end up dying, but she'd always pictured herself as older, living in a house, possibly having given up killing.

Finding out that she would be dying when she was only nineteen felt like she was being cheated.

Grell thankfully didn't try to make conversation for a while.

After what seemed like hours of walking aimlessly, Grell finally spoke up.

"Aha! You have trust issues!" Grell exclaimed, turning toward her and pointing a finger at her face.

Riley gave him an odd glance and knit her eyebrows together.

"What are you talking about?" she demanded.

"Every time I take a step closer to you, you subconsciously step away from me!" Grell explained dramatically. "That means you have trust issues and can't get along very well with others!"

He gave her a grin and stepped closer to her as if to prove a point. Riley backed away from him and continued walking.

"Wow, I had no idea you were a psychiatrist, Grell," Riley sarcastically stated.

"I am talented in many ways!" Grell laughed. "So what happened to make you so untrusting? It intrigues me!"

Riley hesitated and turned her head away from him.

She debated for a moment about whether or not to tell him anything about her past.

Finally, she sighed.

"It happened a long time ago," Riley replied. "So..."

"What happened?" Grell inquired, catching up with her a bit and staring down at her.

"Well... When I was a child, my parents sold me to a man as a maid. They were drunkards and used the money they made off of me for more liquor," Riley replied.

"What?!" Grell gasped, dramatically flinging his hands to his gaping mouth. "How dreadful!"

"I don't want your pity," Riley said, trying to sound angry, but ending up sounding like something else.

"What happened then?" Grell asked, still watching her carefully.

"They sold me to the man, and he didn't want me as a maid after all. He had about fifteen other girls, all my age. He worked us as slaves wherever he could: in the garden, kitchen, bedroom. The other girls were the only friends I had, until I realised that they were constantly turning against each other if we did anything wrong. We were so terrified to get in trouble that they would put the blame on everyone else. I never did, but I got punished for someone else's mistakes several times," Riley said, remembering everything in her mind again as she talked.

She could imagine the man, hitting her, screaming at her.

Grell was quiet as she gazed off.

"And that's why I trust no one," Riley finished. "My parents used me to get what they wanted. My master used me to get what he wanted. And the other girls used me to keep themselves from getting into trouble."

Grell, surprisingly, said nothing for a while.

Riley also stayed quiet. The two walked along in silence for a few minutes, until Grell finally spoke up.

"So how did you become an assassin?" he asked, a hand on his chin. "That's not something that a person wakes up and just decides!"

"I'd had enough," Riley replied. "One day, I knew I had to get out of that awful estate. So I killed the man when he was sleeping. That's how I found out I was so good at it." She paused for a moment. "When I was free, I went back to my old home. My parents were passed out drunk. The house was a mess, and it seemed that nothing had changed. Except I had a younger brother and sister, that I hadn't known about. They were twins, and only about four. So I stole them away from my parents and gave them to a nice older lady and lord who couldn't have children of their own. Then, I went back and killed my parents. So they couldn't have anymore children and ruin anymore lives."

"I'm so very sorry!" Grell cried, putting both of his hands over his heart in despair. "You poor, poor, thing!"

"Don't pity me," Riley replied in monotone. "It happened a long time ago. It's nothing."

"You're so brave!" Grell gasped, putting a hand to his forehead.

"Speak nothing of it," Riley insisted. "Really."

"If you say so, peach," Grell grinned at her, knowing that the random nicknames annoyed her.

Riley scowled at him, and rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything.

They continued to make their way toward the town.

Grell and Riley knew that the walk would take a couple of days.

But it was getting awkward to not talk to each other. The silence went from average silence, to 'this has gone on for so long that it feels forced'.

Honestly, Riley just wanted to get this murder over with so Grell would go talk to the superior reapers and save her life.

And she wanted it done as soon as possible.

"So you've tried to reap this man before?" Riley asked Grell, to break the unbearable silence.

"Of course," Grell replied, waving a hand at her. "He's like a spirit- he's slippery! Every time I show up, ready to reap- he avoids it like his name was never on my list! It's frustrating, to say the least! I'm the laughing stock of the reapers!"

He threw his arms up in the air dramatically.

"At least I'm still gorgeous," Grell added, with a laugh.

Riley almost choked. She regretted starting a conversation.

"How was he supposed to die?" Riley asked.

"Hell if I know!" Grell replied, reaching up as if he were stretching. "At first, he was supposed to die last Saturday, at noon. I followed him for hours, until at least six. He never died! I thought I'd had the wrong guy! Went back to the superiors and found out that I was right and they were all laughing about me behind my back! So his name returned onto my list a few days ago and I found him again. This time, he was supposed to die at eight pm. I followed him until midnight, and he's still alive! Flabbergasting!"

Riley cracked a smile at his disbelief, and he did a double take.

"Are- are you SMILING?" Grell asked, his eyes wide behind his jewelled spectacles.

"Of course not," Riley replied seriously, her face returning to normal. "Anyway, you haven't shown yourself to this guy, have you?"

"Why would I?" Grell asked.

"I don't know," Riley said. "You showed yourself to me."

"Because you had something I wanted," Grell winked at her non-discreetly.

Riley pretended not to notice the innuendo behind the comment and continued walking down the road.


	3. Chapter 3

As the sun set, Riley wondered if they should stop in London to get an inn, but Grell made that decision for her.

"Let's camp out tonight under the stars!" he exclaimed excitedly.

Riley looked over at him, surprised. She hadn't taken him for a wilderness type of person.

"What?" Riley asked, confused.

"We can lay in the field and look up at the starry sky and tell stories!" Grell explained, making fists and putting them under his chin like a child.

"You're a romantic at heart, Grell," Riley commented, blandly, her hands in her pockets.

"Absolutely!" Grell replied, sticking his tongue out at her and giving her a hand gesture. "It's not only in my heart! I'm a romantic on the outside, as well, darling!"

"Hm," Riley huffed, as if she were pretending to be interested.

She pulled out her water canister and started to take a drink when Grell muttered to himself.

"Speaking of romance, I miss my Bassy!" Grell mumbled suddenly.

"Who's Bassy?" Riley asked, bringing the canister to her lips and taking a drink.

"Who's Bassy!" Grell repeated in disbelief. "Sebastian, my ex-lover."

Riley did choke this time, and almost dropped the water canister.

She recovered quickly, though.

"Are you alright, there, my dear?" Grell asked, giving her a worried glance.

"Yes," Riley replied, deciding to just be blunt with him. "Just... Surprised me, is all. You fancy men?"

"Who doesn't?" Grell exclaimed, excitedly, bringing his fists up to his chin again. "And of course, I never touched Bassy, if that's what surprised you. I only call him my lover as a sort of joke." He paused, then tacked on at the end: "But secretly, I know he desired me."

"Al...right," Riley replied, with an uncomfortable expression.

"Honestly, darling, men aren't the only ones I fancy," Grell added, with a wink. "I'm in for the beauty."

"Beauty," Riley repeated, as if that could make sense somehow. "Right."

"Right!" Grell exclaimed, with a laugh. "Let's make camp now! I have a scary story that'll knock your socks off!"

Riley hesitated, but agreed.

"So the kid walked in to the room, and the noise got louder and louder..." Grell said, toward the end of his story.

They had two blankets out in the grass, and they were laying on them, staring up at the sky.

Grell told the story while waving his arms, even though he was on his back.

"And the lamp flickered off, suddenly! And the kid was cast in the dark! And wham! The door slammed shut!" Grell exclaimed. "And there it was! The ghost of his later grandmother, standing behind him! The kid screamed, and turned around! And the grandmother's ghost said, 'You shouldn't have lied to the police' and opened it's mouth wide. A bright light shined down the grandmother's throat, like the lamp the kid had used to set the fire..." Grell gave a dramatic pause. "And the kid was never seen again! The end!"

He barked an evil laugh, as Riley stared up at the sky with wide eyes. Riley had expected Grell's scary story to be about honey in his hair or getting lost, but the one he'd just told had actually been pretty frightening.

"How'd you like that?" Grell laughed.

"That was actually one of the scariest stories I've ever heard," Riley admitted. "You're a talented story teller."

"Well, thank you, cupcake!" Grell replied, actually sounding slightly embarrassed. "It's just a little something I picked up along my years."

The silence resumed for a moment, and Riley heard thunder in the distance.

"Hey," she said, suddenly, looking up where Grell's voice was coming from. It was too dark to see him, though.

"What?" Grell asked, his voice not quite as dramatic.

"Do reapers sleep, then?" Riley inquired.

He barked a laugh.

"Every once in a while, darling," Grell replied, his voice returning to normal. "We can. We just don't have to every night."

"I see," Riley said, feeling her eyes grow heavy. "Do you dream?"

"Dream?" Grell repeated. "Everyone dreams."

"Do you have nightmares?" Riley continued, closing her eyes and listening to the thunder.

"Everyone has nightmares," Grell replied, sounding confused.

Riley thought about his answers for a minute, and wondered.

She wanted to ask him another question, but she fell asleep before she got a chance.

Grell laid on his blanket, listening as the Riley girl breathed in her sleep. She'd fallen asleep before he'd gotten to ask her his questions, and that just did not seem acceptable to Grell.

In the morning, he'd question her about things he was curious about. She really did intrigue him, though, more than she should.

It was interesting to Grell how she kept her emotions bottled so tightly, especially with a disturbing past like her own.

In complete honesty, he expected her to break soon. Nobody could live like she had.

She willingly killed people, every single day.

Grell was a reaper, and was used to seeing the dead. But it took a toll on him, and he'd been doing it for much longer than Riley had. He also usually wasn't the cause of the deaths, either.

Grell sighed as he listened to the thunder in the distance.

Why did he always have to get so emotionally involved?

He was a mess.


	4. Chapter 4

Riley was sleeping soundly, not even dreaming.

It was the best she had slept in a long time, for some reason.

She was in a dead sleep when suddenly water splashed over her face, and her eyes snapped open, and her heart raced.

Riley jumped up, and looked around quickly.

It was very early morning. The sun had barely started rising, and rain was pouring from the sky.

Riley had only been awake for a few seconds and she was already drenched.

"Hey, honey, over here!" Grell's voice called, and Riley searched across the field for him.

She didn't see him.

Suddenly, a jacket got flung over her head, and someone grabbed her arm.

"This way!" It was Grell again. Riley tried to see, but the jacket was over her eyes. She just sleepily let him lead her somewhere.

The rain seemed to stop for a moment, and Riley pulled the jacket over her shoulders to see where she was.

Grell had pulled her under a large tree to shelter them from the rain.

"What's going on?" Riley mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

"It started raining, darling!" Grell laughed, still wide awake. "Or did you not realise?"

"Don't be an arse," Riley mumbled, looking at the jacket around her shoulders. It was Grell's red one. She pretended not to notice.

Grell laughed at her arse comment, and plopped down on the ground, leaning back against the tree trunk extravagantly, crossing his legs in the air.

Riley hesitantly sat down next to him.

"We're about another three hours away from Mistune, right?" she yawned.

"Two if we run," Grell replied, seriously.

"No, thank you," Riley responded. "I'll walk."

"Whatever you say, doll," Grell laughed. "But whenever we DO get into town, we're going shopping!"

He was exuberant.

"Shopping?" Riley asked. "Why?"

"For our disguises, of course!" Grell exclaimed. "So we can communicate with Benjamin Hansen without being recognised!"

"I don't want to communicate with him straight off," Riley replied. "First, I just want to try to kill him, and see how that goes."

"All right," Grell agreed, sounding dubious. "I really wanted to go shopping, though!"

He crossed his arms and rested them on his knee.

"If for some strange reason, I can't kill him, then we can go shopping for disguises," Riley said, grudgingly. "But I should be able to kill him. I'm a professional."

"I am, too, sugar, and see how well that's turned out?" Grell laughed as he still leaned up against the tree. "I had to call in reinforcements."

Riley shook her head, and they waited for the rain to stop so they could finally arrive at Mistune.

It was a good three hours later, and the rain still hadn't stopped.

Riley was falling asleep against the tree, and she still had Grell's jacket around her shoulders.

There was something different about that reaper. Riley didn't know what it was, but he was slowly starting to get to her a bit. Maybe it was because he seemed so open and honest, and it was easier for her to trust him than it was for her to trust others.

She didn't know. But, whatever it was, she just decided to ignore it and pretend that she had never even realised it.

Another hour or so later, Riley was awakened.

She hadn't even realised that she'd fallen asleep.

"Hey, darling, wakey-wakey!" Grell exclaimed. "It's stopped raining and we can finally be on our way!"

Riley cracked her eyes open and noticed that everything was sideways.

She straightened up and her eyebrows knit together.

She'd fallen asleep on Grell's shoulder?

With a quick shake of her head, she stood up and glanced down at Grell. He was still leaning against the tree, his damp hair curling around his face, with one long leg crossed over the knee of the other.

"I'm so sorry," she said, hesitantly. She'd never apologised to anyone before.

"It's fine, angel face!" Grell exclaimed, standing up and straightening his vest. "I enjoyed it!"

He laughed as if it were the funniest sentence he'd ever uttered.

Riley huffed in agitation, and started to walk off, then remembered that she still had his jacket.

She removed it from her shoulders and tossed it at him, then walked back to the road.

She didn't look back for him, but continued to walk. Riley heard his boots clacking against the wet stone as he ran to catch up to her.

"Wait up!" he called.

Riley slowed down a bit, but didn't wait for him.

He caught up to her quickly, and grinned.

"At least we're well on our way, now!" Grell stated, happily.

Riley returned to her silence.

"And it looks like today will be a beautiful day!" Grell added, twirling a bit.

Riley honestly didn't understand how he was so positive all the time.

About three hours later, the two finally walked into the town of Mistune, and Grell seemed excited.

"Where does this Benjamin Hansen live?" Riley asked as they walked down the slightly busier street.

Grell walked a bit ahead of her, looking around.

"Down this street!" Grell exclaimed, with a triumphant wink toward her. "This road ends right at his estate! We can watch from the rooftop and see what he's doing!"

Grell walked ahead to a building, which looked like some sort of storage unit.

He crouched down and jumped suddenly, flying up so high, he landed on the roof with no problem.

"Need some help, darling?" he called down to her.

"Not this time," Riley replied.

She jumped and caught the ledge of the first and only window. Hoisting herself up nimbly, she reached up and grabbed the edge of the roof, and back flipped off the ledge, landing next to Grell, with a grunt.

She dusted her shoulders to get rid of the loose rubble.

"Impressive," Grell complimented, giving her an expression that Riley couldn't place. "You never cease to surprise me, cupcake."

"Thanks, I think," Riley replied.

She turned toward the estate of Benjamin Hansen, and studied it. The building was huge and ornate, with lots of pillars and fountains, and a large garden at the side, filled with flowers and shrubs.

"Wow," Riley said. "This place is fancy."

Grell laughed, then cut off and pointed at the terrace.

"Look! It's Benjamin Hansen and his butler!" Grell exclaimed.

Riley looked over at them.

Benjamin was sitting in a chair, drinking something, and the butler was standing beside them. They seemed to be having a conversation of some kind.

Riley reached behind her and took off her backpack. Untying it, she removed her gun and popped the bullets inside, fairly loading it.

"Suppose we should get it done, then," Riley said.

Grell made a surprised noise, almost like a gasp.

"Well, you sure do like to get to the point!" he said in a seductive tone that surprised Riley for a moment.

Deciding to ignore his comment, she raised the gun with one hand and pointed it at the young lord.

"Wait!" Grell cried. "Won't they hear the gun?"

"No," Riley replied. "I've rigged this myself so it doesn't make a noise when fired."

"Ah," Grell said, giving her a surprised expression. "I've rigged my own weapon as well! We have so much in common! I never noticed before!"

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders playfully.

"Stop joking around, Grell!" Riley exclaimed. "We just have to get this done."

Grell sulkily removed his arm and watched as she pointed the weapon at the young man.

He was still talking to the butler, so Riley's finger squeezed the trigger and she felt the slight recoil of the weapon.

Just as she did, the butler dropped his plate, spilling the tea everywhere. The young man bent over to help him pick it up, and the bullet whizzed past, right where his head had been.

Riley stared in surprise.

That had been the first time she'd ever missed a target.

"What-?!" Riley gasped.

"You missed," Grell stated, his dramatic voice dull.

"I know!" Riley growled at him. "That's the first time I've ever missed! Let me try again."

She pointed the gun at the man's head again and started to aim.

The man stood up, and his butler walked with him.

They both started their way into the estate.

"Hurry!" Grell exclaimed.

Riley aimed perfectly and pulled the trigger.

Suddenly, the young man tripped on something and went sprawling onto the ground. The bullet skimmed past where he'd been standing and stuck in a bush.

"Damn it!" Riley muttered.

The butler helped the man up, and they both disappeared inside the estate. "How did I miss again?!"

"I TOLD you!" Grell cried dramatically. "It's like he's impervious to death!"

"No one's impervious to death," Riley said. "I'll find a way to get him."

"What do you want to do now?" Grell asked, crossing his arms.

"I need to think a moment," Riley replied.

"If he's not impervious to death, then he has some outstanding luck!" Grell exclaimed, putting his hands on the brick ledge that came up to their waist, and leaning over to get a better look at the estate.

"Stop that, Grell, you're going to fall," Riley demanded, still with a hand to her chin in thought.

He grinned over at her, mischievously.

"I won't fall!" he laughed, a hand on his spectacles to adjust them.

Suddenly, his foot slipped a bit on the fallout from the gun, and he tried to put both hands back on the brick to steady himself. His hand got caught in the beaded chain that was attached to his glasses, and his spectacles went spiralling down the couple of stories, hitting the bushes below.

Grell froze, his eyes wide.

"Are you alright?" Riley asked, a bit confused. "I told you you'd slip."

"Tell me my glasses didn't break," Grell said.

"What?" Riley asked, confused. She approached the brick wall and looked down, trying to see his glasses.

"Tell me they didn't break," Grell repeated. He seemed to be trying to act calm about this scenario, but Riley could tell something was wrong.

"I can't tell," Riley replied, cautiously. "Would you like me to go and get them for you?"

"Yes," Grell answered.

"Can't you see without them?" Riley asked.

"Of course I can! I just wear them for show, darling," Grell replied, then laughed. "I'm joking. I can't see anything without them. The entire world's just one large blur."

"Oh," Riley said. "Just stay here, then, and I'll go search for them."

Grell didn't let go of the brick wall, and his fingers clutched it like it was the only thing keeping him from hurtling to the ground. He stared straight ahead, as if he moved his eyes, he wouldn't be able to control the rest of his body.

"Thank you," Grell added, not daring to wave his arms dramatically. "This is honestly very unsettling!"

"I'll be right back," Riley said, and made her way over to the side with the window. She climbed her way back down, and her feet touched grass.

Then she set to work on looking for Grell's spectacles.

She looked everywhere, and couldn't find them at first.

After a few minutes, she finally saw them inside of a bush, caught in the tiny branches.

She reached inside and dislodged them, studying them to survey the damage.

The lenses didn't seem scratched, but the chain was broken, and some of the jewels had fallen off.

Riley searched around for a few more seconds and located the missing jewels.

She quickly put the jewels back on the string and tied it as discreetly as she could, while making her way back to the window.

Riley climbed back up, and saw that Grell hadn't moved from his spot, and that he seemed tense.

"I found them," Riley said.

"Oh, thank heavens!" Grell exclaimed, hanging his head in relief as he stood there, making his red hair hang in his face.

"The lenses aren't broken, but the strap was. I tried to fix it, but..." Riley handed them back to Grell, who quickly put them back on his nose. She couldn't even tell that the strap had broken once he put them on.

"Thank you, thank you, you beautiful creature!" Grell exclaimed in happiness, crushing her in a hug.

"Er... You're welcome?" Riley replied, as Grell finally released her and set her back on the ground.

"I'm so nearsighted, I should be considered legally blind!" Grell explained. "All reapers are."

"That's strange," Riley replied. "You were so tense that you wouldn't even let go of the brick wall."

"Of course, I would be on a roof when something like this happens!" Grell laughed. "If you think MY reaction was extreme, you should see Will when he looses his spectacles!"

"What does he do?" Riley asked.

"Usually, he curls into fetal position," Grell replied. "Sometimes he cries."

"Er... Wow," Riley said, her eyebrows raised.

"Anyway, enough of this, darling!" Grell exclaimed, back to his usual self. "Time to find another way to kill Benjamin Hansen!"

"Right," Riley added. "Let's go."


	5. Chapter 5

***Author's note: Thanks for anyone who has read this far! I've had so much fun writing this so far, and I appreciate any feedback you might have! Please rate and review, that would be awesome! :) Thank you! P.S I unfortunately do not own any of the characters except my OCs Riley Fairchild and Benjamin Hansen! Peace out. ***

For the entire day, Riley and Grell tried to kill this man.

Riley put poison on the vegetables in the garden, but the gardener watered them right after.

She rigged his carriage to collapse when it went fast enough, but the butler decided to put new wheels on it anyway.

She waited for Hansen to be alone so she could just sneak up and knife him, but he was never alone.

She tried to shoot him from the windows, but he was never in one spot long enough.

Toward the end of the day, Riley collapsed on a park bench a block away to rest.

Grell sat beside her, and crossed his arms in agitation.

"Grell," Riley asked, "on your list, does it have a time that Hansen is supposed to die next?"

"Oh, probably," Grell replied, pulling out his book and leafing through the pages. "Hm. It doesn't have one. That's strange. They always have a time!"

"I reckon he dies whenever we kill him, then," Riley sighed. "I didn't know this was going to be so difficult."

"Impervious to death," Grell mumbled.

"I guess... We have only one option left," Riley said, setting her jaw.

"And what's that?" Grell inquired, putting his elbows on his knees and resting his chin in his palms.

"Your plan," Riley grudgingly replied. "The one about disguises."

Grell paused a moment to take this information in, then brightened considerably.

"You mean... We're going shopping?" he asked, with a grin.

Riley sighed.

"As much as this pains me, yes," Riley replied.

"This is going to be exciting!" he exclaimed as he stood up and offered her his hand. "I have the perfect disguises planned already! We just have to try some things on..."

Riley gulped.

"Remind me again: why can't we just talk to Hansen as we are?" Riley asked.

"He's a lord!" Grell replied. "You can't have a decent conversation with him in your commoners' clothes! And I can't approach him looking THIS gorgeous! I'm going to have to tone it down a bit so I don't overwhelm him!"

He fanned himself as he spoke and Riley rolled her eyes.

She should have never mentioned this plan to Grell, she thought.

But now, the damage was done.

Inside the store, Riley stood in a small dressing room, while Grell handed clothes in to her. She took them, hesitantly, and was too frightened to look at them.

There was a maid in the dressing room to help the women lace their corsets, and Riley finally came out.

Grell was standing there in front of a mirror, in a bright red suit. Her eyes grew a bit wide at the outlandish ensemble.

"Too much?" he laughed. "I'm not seriously wearing this, darling! Don't look so shocked! It's for amusement only!"

Riley gave him a bitter smile.

"I think these are a bit too much, although the suit looks well on you," Riley replied, studying her own ensemble, which was a very fluffy dress with a high collar.

"You think so?!" Grell cried, laughing at himself in the mirror.

"Of course," Riley replied. "I adore the colour."

Grell looked down at his suit, in surprise.

"Red?" he asked. "You adore the colour red?"

"I do," Riley replied. "Although red isn't suitable for society, I still love it. It's my favourite colour."

Grell chuckled and looked up at her with a grin.

"It's mine, too, darling," he said, giving his hand a wave. "Small world!"

Riley continued to study herself in the mirror.

"Anyway, let's pick something a little more tame," she finalised.

"If you say so," Grell laughed, already starting to disrobe right there in the viewing area.

"Control yourself, Grell," Riley chastised.

He only laughed and threw another dress at her.

"Try this one on, honey," he said, before disappearing into the men's changing station.

Riley changed dresses again and walked back out into the viewing area. She was wearing a dress that was so tight it was practically a second skin, and she could tell that she didn't like it.

She was honestly wondering if Grell hadn't picked it on purpose as some sort of joke.

Grell was already studying himself in the mirror when she peeked around the corner.

He was wearing a brown suit with red handkerchiefs, and he looked at it distastefully.

"Grell, you did this on purpose!" Riley accused as she walked into the room with her hands crossed over her chest.

He looked over his shoulder at her in a bored manner, then did a double take.

"I actually didn't do this on purpose, darling, but I'm glad I picked that one!" Grell replied looking her up and down. "I'm buying you this!"

"No!" Riley exclaimed, her eyes wide. "Don't be ridiculous! I could never wear this in public!"

"Who says you have to wear it in public, darling?" Grell gave her a wink, and a grin.

Riley huffed in agitation.

"Find me another before I rip your tongue out, Grell!" she demanded.

He chuckled in amusement.

"Only because you fixed my spectacles, am I doing this for you," he replied, with a wicked gleam. "Honestly, I don't know why you don't like that one..."

"Because it's hardly a dress at all!" Riley gasped.

"Alright!" Grell picked up another dress and tossed it at her. "Go and try this one on, then! Wish I had a photograph of you in that one, though, honestly."

"Don't be vile," Riley told him, angrily.

"I'm not being vile, you-" Grell cut off and chuckled as he pulled his shirt over his head on his way back to the changing room.

Riley started having fun after that, and she and Grell tried on about a dozen different outfits, trying to look like a lady and her butler.

She walked out in the most outlandish of clothing, and so did Grell, and after a while, it almost became a contest of who could pick the craziest outfits.

Finally, they became serious again, and they both picked an ensemble they would actually wear in public and got changed.

When Riley walked out, she was wearing a black dress that matched her raven hair. It had tiny red flowers along the beading at the waist, and she adored it.

She saw Grell standing before the mirror as well, in a black suit with a red handkerchief. It was the best one he had tried on all night, and Riley studied him as she approached.

She actually laughed out loud, for the first time in years.

"These are perfect," she said. "We even match."

Grell raised his eyebrows at her.

"Are you LAUGHING?!" he exclaimed, happily, turning around and grabbing her hands. "I knew you had it in you, darling!"

"Stop!" Riley said, suppressing her laughter, and putting her serious face back on. "It's not a big deal."

"This is the first time I've ever been graced with the beautiful sound of your laughter!" Grell exclaimed, raising her hand and spinning her in a circle. "Of course it's a big deal!"

"Don't make anything of it," Riley insisted. "I am still human, after all. Just forget that it ever happened."

"Hm!" Grell barked in agitation. "Fine, then!"

"Brilliant," Riley said. "Why did you pick that suit?"

"Because I just look so dapper!" Grell exclaimed. "Just look at me!"

Riley couldn't help but smile at him, although she tried to hide it.

He saw and grinned.

"Watch this," Grell said. He took a band and made to pull his hair back into a low ponytail.

As his fingers ran through his hair, his locks slowly changed from red to brown.

And suddenly, he was a brunette.

Riley stared at him in surprise. He didn't even look like the same person anymore!

"Wow," Riley breathed. "You don't even look like Grell, anymore."

She reached out and touched his hair, for some reason checking her fingers to make sure the brown hadn't rubbed off, which it hadn't, of course.

"Very interesting, isn't it?" Grell laughed. "And with that, I am now Grell the butler! The most luscious butler you will ever find!"

Riley rolled her eyes at the last part, and stopped touching his hair. He had just made it seem inappropriate.

"Should I leave my hair the same colour?" Riley asked. "Or should I wear a wig?"

"Better go natural, sunshine," Grell replied. "If you wear a wig, and it fell off somehow, Hansen would assume you were wearing a disguise. Just pull your hair back like this!"

He reached over and quickly braided her hair and then made it into a crown across her head.

Riley looked at him in the mirror, surprised.

"You look completely different like this!" Grell said, and pinned her hair so it would stay. "Perfect!"

"I can't believe we're actually doing this," Riley added.

"I'm going to go pay, and then we're ready to do some subterfuge, my darling!" Grell said, sounding overly-happy about deceit.

"Right," Riley replied.

Grell leaned over her shoulder so his face was next to her ear.

"You can hit me if you'd like, but I bought that other dress," Grell winked at her before quickly trying to run away.

"You dirty pig!" Riley yelled, turning to try to hit him, but he ducked and grinned wickedly at her.

"I couldn't pass it up!" Grell explained, dramatically putting a hand to his forehead. "Beauty is my weakness!"

"Well guess who's going to return it?" Riley said as he ran to the counter to pay.

"We'll see about that, darling," Grell laughed maliciously as he disappeared around the corner. "I always get my way!"


	6. Chapter 6

Grell knew he wouldn't be a very talented butler. He'd tried before, with Madam Red, although he had pretended to be horrible at it so Bassy would apprentice him.

He'd have to try extremely hard to pass as a butler at all.

He had to remember to keep his emotions down. Butlers never showed much emotion.

He and Riley made their way back to the estate the next evening.

"This is so exciting!" Grell exclaimed.

"Can you be a butler?" Riley asked him. "You know, while we're here, you're going to have to make tea and cook."

"I've got this down!" Grell replied, waving a hand at her. "Don't you worry about a thing, darling!"

"Alright, then," Riley replied, unconvinced.

They approached the estate, and Grell rang the bell that was attached. The door opened and Hansen's butler opened the door, giving them an impartial stare.

"Welcome to the Hansen estate. My name is Malcolm, and I am the butler here. May I ask of your business?" he inquired.

Riley stepped forward a bit and realised how fall Malcolm was. He was even taller than Grell.

"I am Lady Fairchild, and this is my butler, Sutcliff. I am here to speak with Lord Hansen," Riley replied, sounding firm. "I apologise for not sending word beforehand."

"Of course, my Lady," Malcolm said with a slight bow. "Please, follow me."

He turned and led them into the estate, and the door automatically shut behind them. Malcolm had black hair that was cut short, and silver eyes that shone with a sort of glint that Riley had never seen before.

Grell eyed the butler suspiciously before following behind Riley as appropriate.

Malcolm led them down a hallway and spoke as he walked.

"My master has just finished taking his dinner and is having a small rest before he retires for the night," Malcolm replied. "He is in the library, reading. Please, join him."

"Thank you," Riley stated, as Malcolm put his hand on a doorknob to what Riley assumed was the library.

"Would you like for me to show your butler where to wait, my Lady?" Malcolm asked, giving her a nod.

"No," Riley replied, almost too quickly. "Sutcliff stays with me, thank you."

"As you wish," Malcolm bowed as he opened the door to let them through. "Master, you have company this evening."

Riley and Grell entered the room, and saw a young man sitting in a large chair with a book opened across his lap. He looked up at them and gave them a confused expression.

"Visitors? You did not send word before you came, did you?" the man asked, in a sour manner.

"No, my lord, and I give my sincerest apologies," Riley replied. "I had heard much about you and my carriage passed through this town. I thought I would come and speak with you about something."

Malcolm left them, suddenly, and closed the door with a click.

"Please have a seat," Hansen said, motioning to the chair across from his.

Riley sat down, and Grell quietly stood behind her chair.

"What did you wish to speak of, then?" Hansen demanded, going back to his book.

He was quite rude.

"My name is Lady Riley Fairchild," she continued. "My father is wanting to have a charity event in a couple of weeks, and he wanted me to request your presence there."

"A charity event?" Hansen asked in a forceful tone. "Why would I attend such a thing?"

Riley stared at him for a moment to make sure he wasn't joking, then finally answered.

"Er... If not for the good of the less fortunate, then maybe as publicity for yourself. It's a win-win, really, my Lord," Riley replied.

"Publicity?" Hansen mulled the word over, and finally looked back up at her. "Send word to your father that I shall attend this charity event. And, I insist that you spend the night here with us, at Hansen Estate! The skies look absolutely dreadful this evening, and it looks as if a storm is approaching. I wouldn't have a beautiful girl riding along in the rain, now."

He leaned forward and gave her a suggestive grin.

She pretended to be naive and didn't comment.

"That would be lovely," Riley replied. "Thank you, so much."

"Your butler may make use of this estate in whatever manner he needs to meet your requirements," Hansen said, looking a bit down that she hadn't caught his hint.

"I thank you," Riley bowed her head at him in politeness.

"Malcolm!" Hansen called.

The door to the library opened suddenly, and Malcolm walked through, giving them a calm expression.

"Please show Lady Fairchild to the east wing of this estate, to her room. Her butler may make use of this estate as he pleases and will stay in the room across from hers. Understood?" Hansen asked.

"My lord," Malcolm nodded, but seemed a bit confused.

"They will only be staying with us overnight, of course," Hansen added. "Because of the storm that is approaching."

Malcolm nodded, and turned to Grell.

"Please, the both of you, follow me," he turned and left the room.

Grell gave Riley a look to make sure she was okay with this, and finally turned to follow the butler.

As Riley turned around, Hansen wrapped an arm around her waist and drew her close to him.

She wanted to try to get away, but then he would send her away from his estate, and she'd never be able to kill him!

So she just stayed there, looking very uncomfortable.

"Maybe I'll see you later tonight," he whispered in her ear, before clutching her closer, and finally letting her go.

Once his grasp loosened, Riley quickly made her way out of the room, where Grell was walking behind the butler.

She approached him and grabbed his arm, looking behind her to make sure Hansen hadn't followed her.

She usually was not intimidated by men, especially not in that way, but there was something so dark about Hansen that she could feel his shadows in her heart of hearts.

Grell looked down at her, surprised, his eyes wide when he saw the fear on her face. She tried to relax and shook her head, as if everything was alright.

Grell's eyebrows knit together for a moment, and Riley let go of his arm to walk behind Malcolm.

"Right this way, please," Malcolm said, leading them up some stairs.

Riley went first, and Grell followed, still confused as to what had happened.

Malcolm walked to the end of the hall and motioned to a door with a gloved hand.

"This shall be your room, my Lady," Malcolm said in his quiet voice. He then motioned to the door across from the first. "And this shall be yours," he looked at Sutcliff.

"Thank you, Malcolm," Riley responded.

He bowed.

"Please don't hesitate to call if you need anything," he added, then walked back down the hall, down the stairs.

When the butler had disappeared completely, Grell turned to Riley.

"What happened?" he exclaimed, still in his normal butler voice. "You looked scared to death down there!"

"That Hansen!" Riley answered, in a half-whisper. "He's- he's completely disgusting!"

"What did he do?" Grell inquired, looking surprised.

"Noth- he- I-" Riley crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head. "Let's just kill him quickly and be done with it."

"He didn't hurt you or anything?" Grell asked again, looking worried.

"No, no, he just grabbed me and pulled me against him, while saying some things," Riley replied, feeling her skin crawl in disgust.

"That bastard!" Grell exclaimed in his dramatic voice again, waving a hand in the air. "Now he really must die! We'll wait a few hours, and then sneak into his room. How's that sound, darling?"

Grell winked at her, but Riley didn't feel as if this Grell was Grell, for some odd reason. She felt like everything had changed, and she didn't like the way it had gone. She wanted some sense of normalcy back, so she could think rationally again.

"Turn your hair back red," Riley said, squinting at him.

"Why?!" he asked, confused, putting his fingertips to his chest.

"Just do it," Riley rolled her eyes and crossed her arms tighter around herself.

"I think you've finally dropped the last of your marbles, cupcake," Grell replied, pulling the band out of his hair. As he did, his hair brightened from brown to it's usual red. He put the band in his pocket. "Ta da!" He held his arms out to her.

"That's better," Riley said, blowing air out of her nose in an attempt to hide a humourless chuckle. "At least I feel as if something's gone to normal."

"It's strange that you consider this normal, darling," Grell replied, giving her a wink.

Riley felt ten times better now that Grell looked like Grell.

"You almost did too well of a job at disguising yourself," Riley added, opening the door to her bedroom, and motioning for him to follow.

"What's the matter, doll?" Grell threw his arms around her in a hug, and walked with her as she entered the room. "Did you miss me?"

"Let go," Riley said in a warning tone as she shut the door.

Grell hugged her and laughed.

"Come on, cupcake!" Grell exclaimed.

"Grell," Riley repeated, and he finally let go of her, collapsing on her bed with a sigh.

"Go ahead and get some rest, then!" Grell said. "Since I'm your butler and everything, I'll be in here to wake you up at three in the morning. Then we can get this Hansen guy out of the way."

"Alright," Riley replied, pushing on his shoulder to get him to move. "Get up, then, so I can sleep."

"Are you sure you just don't want to join me, darling?" Grell asked, dramatically reaching out toward her. "I am so lonely down here!"

Riley rolled her eyes.

"Get up, Grell," Riley mumbled.

Grell sat up with a sulky pout, and mumbled to himself.

"Fine," Grell said, standing up and letting her have the bed to herself.

She collapsed in the bed where'd he'd just left.

Grell gave her a wink.

"Nighty-night!" he exclaimed, turning to leave her room.

"Wait!" Riley said, and Grell looked back over at her.

"Yes?" he asked, grinning but also giving her a confused glance.

Riley studied him for a moment, but then changed her mind.

"N-never mind, Grell," she said, and laid back down.

He shrugged and left the room, switching the light off as he went.

Grell did not go to the room he was provided. No, he had other plans!

He quietly sneaked downstairs and left the estate, running into the humid night without being seen at all.

He had to be back before three in the morning, and it was already after nine.

He just hoped he could get this done as soon as possible.

Grell ran through the night, and jumped, disappearing into the trees.


	7. Chapter 7

***Author's note: Hello! Thank you guys so much if you've read this far! This story is honestly a blast for me! I think around this chapter is where the plot picks up a bit! I really hope you enjoy it! Please comment and tell me what you think! Will and Undertaker will definitely be showing up in the plot later, so keep your eyes open!**

**Disclaimer: Yeah... Still don't own any of the characters besides my originals, Riley, Hansen and his butler, Malcolm.***

With a flash, Grell was in the realm of the reapers, standing before the entrance of a special building.

Inside the building, the superior reapers went about their daily business. There were three head reapers inside at all times, so Grell knew he would be able to speak with someone.

A ways off, Grell saw Will, and at first wanted to say hello, but decided against it. This had to be done as quickly as possible.

Grell entered the building and approached a desk.

There was a man sitting there, and he waited a good ten minutes before even acknowledging Grell.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"I need to speak to the superior reapers," Grell stated.

"Business?"

"Request for Reconsideration," Grell replied, leaning his elbows on the desk, in a bored fashion.

"The superiors are tied for three more hours. There's an opening then," the man said.

"I've got time!" Grell exclaimed happily.

"You must stay inside the building to hold your spot," the man relayed. "If you're gone when your time comes, it goes to someone else."

"I'll be here!" Grell said. "Don't you worry!"

He plopped down in a chair in a small waiting room, and crossed his legs patiently.

He had time.

It was three hours later, and Grell was still sitting in the chair, waiting with the patience of a saint.

The man behind the counter had called the names of other people, and Grell hoped that one of them had given up and gone home so he could go early.

But someone approached the counter for each name and Grell huffed, but still waited.

Finally, the man called his name, and Grell stood up enthusiastically, and approached the door beside the counter.

"Thank you!" Grell exclaimed dramatically, and walked into the back room of the building.

There was a long table high up in the room, and three superiors sitting up like the judges of a courtroom, waiting to hear what was brought before them.

"Good evening, superiors!" Grell exclaimed happily. "My name is Grell Sutcliff, and I've come to request a Reconsideration."

"Sutcliff," the man in the middle said. "I've heard of you."

Judging by the man's tart expression, they hadn't been good things, either.

"State the name of the soul you request to save," the man to the right said.

"Riley Fairchild," Grell said.

There was a pause as they wrote the name down.

"And what good do you think she will accomplish in her lifetime?" the last man asked.

Grell took a deep breath and thought of the best way to explain.

"This soul, I believe, won't do just one great thing in her lifetime, but many! Already, she has saved several lives, and has retaliated for the injustices of others," Grell replied. He continued to explain about how she had saved the lives of her younger siblings, knowing that they'd grow up the same way she had.

And he explained about how she killed those who deserved it, and how she created harmony and justice in that way.

After a while, he started talking about why he thought she should be spared.

"Because she had such a terrible past, she deserves the chance to have a better future, and that's one reason I'd like to spare her soul," Grell finished.

"Come back tomorrow," the middle man said again. "We need time to reconsider and deliberate."

"Of course!" Grell replied and quickly walked back out of the room, his heart pounding. He'd plead her case as best as he could. He'd put the entirety of his heart and soul into his argument.

All he could do now was wait.

It was going to be the longest day of his life.

At least he was early to wake up Riley. It was only one in the morning.

Riley felt someone shake her shoulder gently, and she woke up from her sleep.

"Grell?" she asked, still in her half asleep haze.

"You bet!" Grell's voice exclaimed. "It's three in the morning, darling! Time to have some fun!"

Riley sat up too quickly, and she noticed her face was really close to Grell's.

She stared at him for a moment, surprised, and he stared back at her, his eyes wide.

Then he grinned.

"Come on!" he sang, grabbing her hand to haul her out of bed.

Riley stumbled and shook her head, still a bit disorientated.

"You're awfully chipper about killing someone," Riley muttered, rubbing her eyes as she stood there. "How are you so happy all the time?"

"Just think, cupcake! Maybe this whole fiasco is almost over at last!" Grell exclaimed, turning his hair brown again in case they got caught. "I've already found out which hall has his bedroom! Let's go!"

He opened the door and let Riley go first. She put a knife in her stockings, to hide it, and her gun was in her right hand.

"This way," Grell said, motioning down the hall.

They walked for a few more minutes in silence.

Suddenly, Grell turned a corner, then slammed back around, practically running into Riley.

"What-" Riley started, but Grell covered her mouth with his hand, his eyes wide.

"Sh," he mouthed. "There is a guard in front of his bedroom door."

Riley was in disbelief.

"A guard?" she whispered.

Grell removed his hand and motioned for her to walk back where they'd came.

They popped into an empty closet to talk without being heard.

"A guard?" Riley exclaimed, angrily.

"He wasn't there, earlier!" Grell replied, crossing his arms. "Well, what do you want to do now, cupcake?"

"I don't know," Riley said. "We can't distract the guard because we'd make too much noise. I guess... We'll just have to try to kill him tomorrow." She tucked her gun into her hosiery as well.

Grell sighed in frustration, and put a hand on his hip.

"Whatever you say," he said, opening the closet door.

Riley walked out, and ran into someone, who'd been walking down the hall.

It was a maid, who was doing laundry, at three in the morning.

She looked surprised to see anyone awake, and she dropped her wooden laundry basket.

"I'm so sorry!" Riley exclaimed, picking her basket up for her.

Grell walked out of the closet, a confused expression on his face.

"No, my lady, I'm so very sorry!" the maid squeaked, as she realised that Riley and her 'butler' had just been in a closet together at three in the morning. "I didn't mean to interrupt anything- I- I'm so very sorry!"

It took Riley a moment to understand what she was saying, then her mouth dropped open in surprise.

"No, no, this isn't anything like that at all!" Riley exclaimed, holding her palms out to the lady. "We were- we-"

She tried to think of a good excuse as to why they had been in the closet together, but her hurried mind couldn't think of a single one.

"A good night to you both," the maid left the scene, red-faced, trying to get away as quickly as possible.

As soon as they were alone, Grell burst into laughter.

He doubled over, putting his hands on his knees.

"Grell," Riley chastised. "Stop. This isn't funny."

"Wh- what are the ch-chances-" he cut off to continue to laugh, "that a maid! Would be doing laundry! At three in the morning!"

He stood back up and removed his glasses to wipe a tear from his eyes. He took a deep breath to calm himself, and was silent for a moment.

"Are you quite fini-" Riley started, but then Grell burst into another fit of hysterics.

"Grell! Quiet! You're going to wake up everyone in the estate!" Riley said, crossing her arms angrily and waiting for him to stop.

Grell finally put a hand to his mouth and took another deep breath. Tears were literally streaming down his face. "I'm glad you found this so amusing!" Riley said, sarcastically.

"I'm sorry, darling! It was the look on your face that got me!" Grell replied, in a half-whisper.

"Let's just get back before Hansen has us arrested," Riley said, irritably.

Grell caught up with her as she walked.

"I still have that dress if we need something to pass the time," Grell added, with a wink.

"I will punch you in the mouth," Riley replied calmly, and Grell laughed again.

"Don't be so touchy, sweetheart," he chuckled. "It was just a suggestion!"

The next morning, when Grell woke Riley up around eight, it was absolutely pouring outside.

The rain was so thick, that it was impossible to see anything.

Grell actually cooked Riley breakfast, much to his own dismay. He'd obviously been hoping to get out of there quickly to avoid such situations.

Riley ate her breakfast in the dining hall, with Grell, aka Sutcliff, standing behind her formally.

"Good morning!" Benjamin Hansen called as he entered the dining hall.

"Good morning, my lord," Riley greeted. "Will you be having breakfast this morning?"

"Not today," he replied, approaching her. "I'm not much for breakfast, to be quite honest."

He looked down at her once he was close enough to whisper. "I was most saddened when you did not come to visit me last night. Imagine my surprise when I heard this morning that you had been... adventuring with your butler."

Riley choked on the tea she'd been drinking and looked up at the man in surprise.

So, the maid had ratted them out then.

"I assure you, Lord Hansen, that it was nothing of the sort," Riley replied. "I had difficulty sleeping last night, so I asked Sutcliff to make me something hot to drink. I went along with him, and I accidentally got us both lost. I'm quite accident-prone, honestly."

Hansen stared down at her, then looked over at Sutcliff, who was standing behind Riley's chair, expressionlessly.

"Well, no matter," Hansen gave her a haughty look. "I've got work to do in my office. But I simply can't allow you to leave yet. The weather outside is simply awful! It's no way for a lovely woman to travel. Please, I insist that you wait until the rain lets up before you take your leave."

"Thank you," Riley replied, with a polite smile. "We shall be out of your hair shortly."

"Take as long as you need," he replied. "And, you may come up into my office and visit me at any time of the day, my Lady. I promise you, I won't mind at all."

He gave her a suggestive expression and held her eye contact for longer than necessary.

As he stood there, Riley noticed something. It looked like a mark, but it was on the side of his neck... Like a star with a circle around it. She tried to get a better glimpse of it nonchalantly, but he turned his head.

Riley didn't respond to his blunt invitations, and Hansen finally turned and left the dining hall.

"What a pervert!" Grell exclaimed when they were alone again. "He really has a thing for you, darling! I respect his tastes, but he's going about it all wrong!"

"He disgusts me," Riley replied, finishing her food. "Everything he says, everything he does. Did you see that mark on his neck, hidden by his hair?" She looked up at Grell, who gave her a confused expression.

"What mark?" he asked.

Riley shook her head, doubting herself suddenly.

"Never mind. Maybe I imagined it. When can we kill him, do you think?"

"I've got a little something I need to do first, cupcake," Grell said. "Tell them you've sent me on a run. I'll be back, hopefully within the hour!"

"Where are you going?" Riley asked, surprised.

"It's a secret," Grell winked.

"You're honestly going to leave me alone with that pig?" Riley inquired.

"You don't think you could take him yourself, darling?" Grell chuckled.

"I could if I had to," Riley answered, not completely confident.

"Don't you worry!" Grell said, bending down and rubbing his hand over her hair like she was a child. "I'll be right back!"

He gave her a grin and she stared at him, trying to relay how unhappy she was about this.

Suddenly, Grell became serious and gave her a bitter smile.

"Really, though, cupcake, if he does anything to you, just tell me and I'll kill him," Grell said, his voice not dramatic in the least. "I am a reaper. I have a death scythe. I could make it long and painful. Easy as one, two, three!"

He stood back up and gave her a wink, sticking out his tongue, pretty well back to normal.

"Toodaloo, angel face!" Grell called as he exited through the kitchen door, which led into the garden.


	8. Chapter 8

Grell dashed out into the rain, and returned his hair back to it's normal colour.

With a blink, he was back in the realm of the reapers, going to visit the three superiors who were surveying Riley's case.

Maybe they had already made their decision.

He bounced into the building and saw the same man at the brown desk.

"Well, hello!" Grell greeted him. "Have the superiors reviewed my request yet?"

The man continued to write and don't even acknowledge Grell for a while. Grell waited patiently, tapping his booted foot to calm his nerves.

"They're tied up right now," the man replied after a minute. "They're free in about fifteen minutes, if you'll have a seat."

"Of course!" Grell said in his dramatic voice.

With a turn, he returned to the same chair he'd waited in the day before, and felt nerves slowly twist their way into his usually calm stomach.

Riley finished her breakfast in silence.

Something odd was going on with Grell, she knew. He was acting differently than usual.

And she had opened up quite a bit ever since meeting the reaper, due to the fact of his unabashed friendliness and flirtatiousness.

To add to everything else that had come up, there was something else that she was trying to force down away from her mind, back down into the mysterious shadows of her subconscious... Maybe, in some strange, twisted sort of way, she was almost attracted to Grell.

She shivered at the thought, and she wasn't sure if it was because it frightened her, or pleased her.

She had noticed that she was becoming attached to him, more quickly than she had ever become attached to anyone else before... Not that she'd ever allowed herself to befriend anyone.

She'd also noticed that she found herself staring at him quite often, almost- enjoying the sight of his face. Around the estate, he hadn't worn any of his usual outlandish makeup, and she could see how his natural face was. And whenever Hansen touched her, her skin crawled, but whenever it was Grell, she didn't mind. She only argued with him about it so he wouldn't think he had free range with his contact. So she knew she wasn't just connecting with Grell because she was lonely.

Maybe it was just a fluke.

Maybe once they left the estate, things would go back to normal.

Although Riley was usually a strong woman, and she'd seen more than most men had, the thought about herself being attracted to Grell really did frighten her.

Maybe if she just kept denying it, it would go away.

She sighed and stared down at her bowl.

"What did you do with your butler, miss?" Malcolm walked into the room, looking intimidating all of a sudden.

"I sent him on a run," Riley replied, pushing her bowl away from her so she wouldn't knock it over.

"A run, hm?" Malcolm said, slowly approaching her.

Why was everyone in this estate so creepy? Riley wondered.

"Yes," she added.

"Listen," Malcolm said, standing next to her as she sat in the chair. "I understand that you're here to kill my master."

Riley's heart about stopped beating in her chest.

"What do you mean?" Riley tried to play dumb.

"Don't be coy," he smiled at her and something came up into his silver eyes that made Riley shiver in fear. "I know that your butler is really a reaper."

Riley stared at him in surprise. How long had Malcolm known?! How did he find out?

"How did you find out?" Riley asked, trying to sound fearless.

"Hm," Malcolm chuckled. "I just know." He paused. "What I don't understand, though, is why you're working for him. As far as I can tell, you're but a mere human."

"My name came up on his list, and he said he would try to talk his superiors into reconsidering me," Riley replied, feeling herself answer his questions against her own will.

"I see," Malcolm said, softly.

"How are you...?" Riley couldn't finish her sentence. It was as if he had briefly controlled her mind somehow, when she wasn't expecting it.

"I have a deal to make with you," Malcolm cut her off. "You see, I am a demon. I have made a contract with my master, which shall be over shortly. I assume the reason my master's name made it onto your reaper's list is because his contract is about finished."

He paused and eyed her.

"So you could be my next recipient," he added. "That reaper is lying to you. There is no chance that they will reconsider you. I can already tell by the state of your soul that you have nothing more to offer the world. They will deny his request, and he will end up taking your soul."

Riley couldn't breathe.

Was this demon telling the truth?

"Now," he continued, "if you make a deal with me, no reaper can take your soul until our contract is finished. I would give you about ten years, which should be plenty of time considering what you have right now. Then, we would kill your reaper friend, which would bump you off his list forever."

He walked around to her other side.

"That is my deal to you. In return, of course, I would get your soul," he finished.

Riley only sat there, in confusion, wondering what to do. The butler took off his right glove, using only his teeth and laid his hand down on the table. There was a mark on the back of his hand, the same one she saw on Hansen's neck.

He was showing her the mark as proof. Riley stared down at his hand in shock, unable to think.

"Do you accept?" Malcolm asked.

"Grell Sutcliff," the man said, finally, and Grell jumped up, happily from his chair.

"Finally," he muttered, and made his way to the door that led into the back room.

He walked inside, his stomach in knots. Surely they would accept his request to save Riley's soul. Surely they could see how wonderful she was.

"Hello," Grell greeted the men. "I've come to ask about my request for Reconsideration."

They sat up in their pedestals, looking down at Grell in curiosity. They wrote some things down in their notebooks.

"Yes," the first man said. "Grell Sutcliff. Requested the sparing of Riley Fairchild's soul on the grounds that she would save and enhance the lives of many."

Grell nodded once when the man paused and looked at him expectantly.

"Grell Sutcliff, your request has been... denied," the man on the right said.

Grell was so surprised at first that he thought it was all some sort of cruel joke. He stared up at the men in disbelief.

"Denied?" Grell repeated, in shock. "You mean... Even after everything I told you about her, you still think her life is meaningless?"

"We understand that you have been invested in the saving of this-" the first man started, but Grell cut him off.

"You don't understand," Grell stated. "You don't understand at all. This soul deserves to be saved! She deserves to live!"

"Grell Sutcliff," the man in the middle called to his attention. "We all concluded that it is a possibility that this soul could offer more to the world, but we also agreed that your emotions have played conflict in this request. If you are in love with this girl, that is not solid basis to ask for a Reconsideration."

"Love?" Grell asked quietly, not showing any emotion in his denial. "No, I told you why I thought she should be saved! It has nothing to do with love!"

The three men looked down at him with mixed emotions. One angry, one agitated, one sympathetic.

"We're sorry," the one in the middle said, his gaze sympathetic. "We are unable to grant your request. And that is final."

Grell turned and fled the room, feeling something heavy in his body. Maybe those men had been right about the love thing! Maybe his emotions had played a part, and that was why he'd decided to request early, before Riley had even finished her end of the bargain! Maybe those moronic superiors had actually been right about something.

Grell only stopped running when he reached the human realm, and the day was dark with thunderstorms.

Rain poured down over him, and Grell didn't know what to do.

He decided to just go back to the estate, and maybe he could find something that Riley could do to change the minds of the superiors.

He had to save her.

This was all his fault, really.

He hoped he could find a solution within the next twelve days.

If he couldn't...

He didn't even want to think about that.

Riley still sat at the table, her gaze on Malcolm's hand. She didn't know how to respond to the question he had just posed.

Did she agree?

Did she want to kill Grell and make a deal with this demon in exchange for ten definite more years of life?

"You may think about my offer," Malcolm added, removing his hand from the table and putting his glove on. "I'll give you until tomorrow. I'll talk to my master and invite you over for tea. Please be here by noon. Alone."

Riley didn't reply, and the butler still stood behind her closely.

Suddenly, the door opened and Grell walked in, in his butler disguise, not even wet from the rain.

He studied how Riley was sitting at the table, the same as when he'd left, and how Malcolm was leaning toward her.

"My lady," Grell said to her, approaching her with some sort of emotion in his eyes.

Riley stared at him in surprise, because he didn't seem like Grell at all. He seemed so completely sad for some reason. When he spoke, his voice held absolutely no trace of his usual dramatics. He didn't sound like himself at all.

"Grell, are you alright?" Riley asked him, standing up.

She usually never showed her concern if she ever was concerned for someone, but it had caught her completely by surprise.

"Of course, my Lady," Grell replied, not even catching the fact that she had called him by his real name and not his butler name. "The rain has let up now, if you'd like to take your leave."

"That's fine," Riley said. "Thank you."

Grell bowed to her and walked near the door to silently wait.

Riley turned back to Malcolm.

"Please tell your master that I said thank you, and that I appreciate his kindness," she said, although internally she still thought Hansen was very creepy.

"Indeed, my Lady," Malcolm replied, with a bow.

Riley turned back to Grell, and walked out the door, him following along behind her as suitable.

He seemed so distant that Riley could have believed that he were a real butler.

They walked down the wet streets, until they were far enough away from the estate that they couldn't be seen.

Grell seemed lost in thought, and didn't make to change his hair or clothes, or to put on his jewelled spectacles.

Riley wondered whether or not to tell Grell what the butler had said.

Malcolm had said that Grell was lying to her.

Using her to get what he wanted, which hit very close to home in Riley's heart. It would make sense. According to her past experience, everyone used everyone else to get what they desired.

It wouldn't be any different for Grell to do the same, right?

"Grell, are you alright?" Riley asked again, looking up at him with knit eyebrows.

He turned his head toward her a bit and finally met her gaze.

"Yes, I am, darling," he said, sounding a bit better, but his voice still not holding any of it's usual drama. "Just feeling a bit under the weather."

"Can reapers get sick?" Riley asked, confused.

"I'm not sure," Grell replied, with a small chuckle.

"You don't sound like yourself at all," Riley said.

"Sorry, cupcake," he added, putting his hands in his pockets. "I didn't mean to worry you."

He gave her a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"I'm fine, really," he continued, turning to face forward again.

"Well, we're getting an inn tonight," Riley stated. "No more camping out in the rain."

Grell didn't reply.

They passed up a shop with clothes in the window, but Grell didn't even look up.

They even passed up a line of beautiful men and women asking for donations for something, but Grell didn't make any sort of comment.

Riley saw an inn to their left, and figured they could stay there.

"Do you want to stay there?" Riley asked her counterpart.

Grell looked over at the inn.

"I suppose, sweet," Grell replied.

Riley gave him an odd glance, because the nickname was a new one, and he hadn't used it sarcastically. He seemed as if he were just trying hard to make himself appear normal.

"Right," Riley said. "Let's go, then."

She walked across the road toward the inn, and Grell followed.

They got one room with two separate beds, and paid, before making their way to the door with their number.

Grell walked in first and collapsed on the bed closest to the door.

Riley shut the door behind them, and watched as Grell closed his eyes like he were sleeping.

Riley approached the bed and watched him for a few minutes, feeling worry make her stomach sink.

She had never actually worried about someone before, and there was no way she could show the emotion on the outside. She didn't know how.

Riley just put her hand to Grell's forehead to see if he had a fever or something.

He seemed a little startled at the sudden contact but then closed his eyes again.

His forehead was a bit warm, but she didn't know the average body temperature for a reaper.

"You're hot, Grell-" Riley started, but he cut her off.

"I know that, darling, but don't you think the term 'sexy' is more accurate?" Grell replied.

Riley smiled a tiny bit.

"At least you still have your sense of humour," Riley replied.

"I think I'm insulted," Grell said, before opening his eyes. He grabbed her hand and removed it from his forehead. "Don't spend your time worrying about me, cupcake. In that bag over there, you have clothing. Go change into them."

"Bag?" Riley asked, curiously, because Grell had never carried a bag. But one was sitting in the corner, right where he had pointed.

"That dress probably isn't the most comfortable thing in the world," he added.

Riley walked over to the bag and opened it. Inside, there were several average commoners' dresses, and a sleeping gown. Where had he gotten it?

But honestly, Grell was worrying her. He was laying as if he were on his death bed. And he wouldn't tell her what was going on.

She sighed angrily, unsure of any emotion except for her usual anger.

"Grell, please," she tried to huff, hoping it didn't sound like begging. "You are worrying me. Tell me something! Are you upset? Are you sick? Did you get hurt?"

She looked over at him, and he sat up quickly, surprised.

"I'm not hurt," he said, putting his fingertips to his chest in an almost-normal way.

"There's a good start," Riley replied, picking up a dress and walking toward the washroom.

"I think I'm just tired, doll face," Grell added, looking down. "And... I'm worried."

"Worried? About what?" Riley inquired, curiously.

"About..." Grell trailed off, then shook his head. "Nothing, nothing! I'm just tired, that's all. I'm going to sleep, now. Nighty-night."

Then, he pulled the blankets over his shoulders and fell asleep, just like that, in his spectacles and everything.

Riley walked into the washroom with a shrug, and spent twenty minutes trying to unlace the back of her dress. Then she filled the small tub with water and washed herself, making sure she got her hair well.

Then she dried off and put on the simple dress, which was a dark blue with black lace on the bottom half. It didn't have a corset, which made it a very informal commoners' dress, or a nightgown.

When she walked back into the bedroom area, she approached Grell again, and very lightly put a hand to his forehead.

It seemed even hotter than last time. Reapers couldn't get sick, could they?

She walked back to her own bed and laid down, worrying.

She waited about an hour, then approached him again to check his temperature. His forehead was still very warm.

Could reapers die?

She started to remove her hand, when Grell's left hand snatched up and grabbed her wrist.

Surprised, Riley froze.

Then, he jerked her onto the bed with him.

She fell onto her stomach, her head just beside his.

"Grell, stop this nonsense," Riley said, but he seemed to be in a sound sleep. "Grell?"

He didn't answer. His hand still held her wrist so she couldn't move.

She struggled a bit, but it was useless. She was stuck, good and tight.

With a sigh, she tried to shake his shoulder but he was out cold.

Riley grudgingly fell asleep with her head on his shoulder, and her arm draped across his torso because his left hand still held her wrist.

Damn it all. Even though it was only about noon, Riley assumed they'd be sleeping for the rest of the day. They'd needed to catch up, anyway.

Riley knew that when they woke up in the morning, it would be awkward as hell.

But there was nothing she could do about it.

So she slept.


	9. Chapter 9

Riley woke up just as the sun rose, and noticed several things all at once before she even opened her eyes.

She could tell that she was still sprawled out across Grell. He still had her wrist in his hand. And she could feel his warm breath on her temple, so he was now facing her.

She opened her eyes, at least feeling very rested.

With a glance to her left, Riley saw Grell's still sleeping face. His glasses, which were still his butler ones and not his Grell ones, were dangling off one ear, and his brown hair had messed up the ponytail so some strands were hanging around his face.

"Grell?" Riley asked, trying to shake him. He still slept on.

He must have been extremely exhausted, Riley realised, if he'd slept for over twelve hours straight. "Grell, get off me," Riley said, but he didn't answer or wake up.

What if he was in some sort of coma?

Riley decided that she would just go back to sleep and wait for him to wake up on his own.

...

Two hours later, Grell's mind drifted back into consciousness. Even though he didn't open his eyes, he felt that someone was sleeping beside him- no, not beside him. On him.

Grell opened his eyes and fixed his spectacles because they'd fallen off, and looked around him.

Riley was asleep, her right arm draped across his entire body, her face in the crook of his neck, one of her legs tossed over his right, so her leg was between his legs.

He could feel her breath as it blew against the nape of his neck and he didn't know whether to be extremely happy but wake her up, or to continue this beautiful moment for a while longer.

Grell knew he'd grabbed her hand last night, because he remembered at least that much, but he hadn't known that she'd been unable to get away.

He did feel much better that morning, although the thought that Riley's soul was still in peril made his stomach sink.

He wanted to tell her what he'd done, but he was afraid that she'd think he was lying and get angry with him.

But he also didn't want to worry her anymore. He remembered how concerned she was for his health last night, and decided to just act as if everything were normal. He just had to think positively. He'd find some way for her to affect the world.

He had enough time.

"Hey, cupcake, wakey-wakey," he whispered, poking her arm.

She groaned and, oddly enough, snuggled closer to him, making shivers run down his spine. "Doll, you'd better stop that before I do something you'll regret later."

Riley opened her eyes and blinked sleepily, starting to sit up.

"Do you feel better this morning?" Riley mumbled as she rubbed her eyes, and removed her leg from between his.

Grell sort of gaped at her, before answering.

"Actually, yes!" he exclaimed. "I feel much better! Probably thanks to you, but I don't remember much about last night."

"I didn't do anything," Riley replied, before remembering something. "You pulled me into your bed last night!" she said in an accusatory tone. She quickly stepped out of his bed and crossed her arms, glaring down at him with a falsely agitated expression.

Grell rubbed his shoulder for a moment.

"Hah!" he laughed. "I guess I did, darling. I didn't do it on purpose, though! I swear! When I woke up this morning, it was actually a pleasant surprise!"

"Hm," Riley replied, looking around the room.

"How long did we sleep?" Grell asked, sounding surprised and wrinkling his nose.

"Eighteen hours," Riley replied. "Well, you did. I woke up sometimes to-"

She cut off and acted as if she hadn't been about to say anything.

"To what?" Grell inquired.

"I don't know, to check to make sure you were still alive," she replied sarcastically. "I thought for a while, you'd gone into a coma."

Grell barked a laugh, and stretched, finally getting up out of the bed.

"Grell," Riley said. "I need to tell you something."

He looked over at her, suspiciously.

"What is it?" he sounded worried.

"Sorry to hit you with something like this, but I know that your superior reapers aren't going to accept my reconsideration," Riley stated, to see his reaction.

"What?!" Grell exclaimed, completely taken off guard. "Why- what-"

He paused, his mouth open as if he couldn't find the right words.

"Listen to my story," Riley said. "I'm telling you this because I want to give you the chance to explain."

Grell watched her, his eyes wide behind his spectacles.

"But before I do," Riley added, setting her jaw, "please, change back to normal. I honestly like your normal self better, and I can't take your disguise seriously."

Grell was having conflicting emotions to the point where he just did as she told him.

He ran his fingers through his hair and crimson flowed back into his long locks. He shook his head quickly and took his jewelled glasses out of his pocket and replaced the formal pair with them.

Then he walked into the washroom and back out again in a flash, dressed in his usual vest and red jacket and boots.

He sat down on the bed, still watching Riley with suspicion.

"Right," she started, a rock settling itself into her stomach. "So, yesterday, when you left to do your secret task, Malcolm came into the kitchen where I was and told me some things. He said that he knew you were a reaper and then somehow manipulated me into answering his questions. Then, he told me that he was a demon, that his contract with Hansen was almost up, and that he wanted to make a deal with me."

She paused and gauged his reaction. He looked completely surprised by this revelation. His jaw dropped and he seemed unable to speak for a moment.

"He said I should make a contract with him because you were lying to me, that the superiors wouldn't accept my reconsideration because my soul showed that I wasn't anymore use. Then he said if I formed a contract with him, I'd have to kill you to get my name off your list, and then he'd give me ten more definite years to live."

Riley finished and watched his face. Grell seemed too surprised to even answer.

"So, explain," Riley encouraged. "Is he wrong? Is he right? What's going on?"

"Do you trust me enough to believe my answer?" Grell asked, a hand to his chest, sounding offended in a way.

Riley studied him for a moment, then sighed as if she were hesitant to answer.

"Of course," she replied. "That's why I asked you about it, instead of answering straight away. I want to hear your side of all this."

"Well... The truth is," Grell started, crossing his long legs and biting his lower lip nervously, "I honestly thought that they would accept. I swear, darling!" He leaned forward with wide and worried eyes. "I had absolutely no doubt in my mind that they would see how wonderful you are! So I went early to ask them, and came back the next day like they'd instructed, and they informed me that my request had been denied. Yesterday, why I was so upset, I had just found out. That's why I was upset. That and, reapers tend to exhaust themselves when they're under quite a bit of stress. I'd never gotten sick before, because I'd never been under stress like that. I don't understand why the superiors declined. And honestly, your soul seems pure enough to me!" He narrowed his wide eyes and gave her a flirtatious wink. "Even though you put up that tough-girl act, I can still see how you truly are, and I thought the superiors would be able to, as well. But I guess I was wrong."

"So the part about my soul is true, then," Riley said, setting her jaw.

Grell didn't answer for a moment.

"I'm so sorry, darling," Grell said, mournfully. "I will find a way to save you. If I can prove to the superiors that you will be a benefit to the world, then they HAVE to accept. I'll figure out something! I swear!"

Riley looked down at the floor for a while, her arms still crossed against her chest.

"Alright," she said. "I have to meet Malcolm today at noon to give him my answer. I'm going to tell him no, of course. But I'll need you to be hiding somewhere, Grell. Malcolm won't be very pleased with my answer, and he knows that I'm working for you to kill his master."

"You don't have to do that, anymore, doll," Grell added, waving a hand at her. "I'll find a way to kill him myself. My end of the deal has kind of blown itself up."

"No, I'll still help you," Riley replied. "I promised. We have it in writing. I always keep my promises."

"If you say so," Grell said, not sounding very pleased. "I'm still searching for a way to uphold my end."

"You can only do so much," Riley said.

"We can't kill Hansen yet, anyway," Grell added, with another wave of his fingers. "Because after his name is yours. If it comes down to it, I will refuse to reap you. If we are at the end of the road, and everything else has failed us, then I will hand over my death scythe, and they'll have to bring in somebody else to do it."

"Grell!" Riley exclaimed. "You can't do that! Then, who knows what would happen to you?"

"Easy, cupcake," Grell replied, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I'd either get demoted to the lowest level and have to work my way back up, or I'd lose my reaper status and probably end up ceasing to exist."

"No!" Riley stated, bluntly, trying to hide her surprise, crossing her arms again. "Tell me you're joking."

"Wish I were," Grell replied, with a shrug.

"If the time comes, you will reap my soul, Grell," Riley said. "It's no use if we both die. One of us has to continue living to tell the tale."

Grell looked agitated at the thought.

"We're still going to put off killing Hansen for as long as possible, alright, sweetheart?" Grell finalised, with a grin. "I still have to have time to see you in that dress."

"Fine," Riley sighed. "Not about the dress. About the murder."

"It'll happen sooner or later! I always get my way, darling!" Grell winked at her. "Remember that."

...

Riley got dressed again in another of her more formal dresses, and Grell walked around the bedroom, waiting.

Riley walked out in a lavender dress that she didn't really care for, because of it's rigidity and uncomfortableness.

She'd picked this one, though, because it was easy to hide a knife and gun in her hosiery.

Grell glanced up at her before continuing his pacing, his boots making clacking noises as he walked.

"Should I wear my disguise, cupcake?" he asked, grandly, gesturing at himself.

"No," Riley replied, quickly, before realising that he'd asked that question on purpose for some reason. "Stop fooling around, Grell. This isn't the time for jokes."

"Don't be so uptight! You need to learn to lighten up a little!" Grell laughed, still pacing the floor. "Are you ready to do this, then?"

"As I'll ever be," Riley said, a bit annoyed by his attitude, but approaching the door anyway.

"Remember," Grell said, "I'll just be right outside. And don't kill Hansen yet! Whatever you do, just give us a little extra time!"

He gave her a pointed look.

"I don't want you rushing into this, cupcake," Grell added. "We have time."

"I know, Grell, stop hammering me about it," Riley said, angrily.

Grell grabbed her arm to stop her from going out the door.

"Listen," Grell said, seriously. "I can tell that you're afraid, alright, darling. You can act like a hard-arse all you want."

He didn't say anything else.

"I'm not afraid," Riley mumbled, just standing there with her jaw set. "I have nine days left."

Grell stared down at her for a moment. It was unspoken between them that demons were not accounted for in a reaper's To-Die list. Malcolm would be able to kill her today, and then her name would bump itself up on Grell's list, and he'd have to take her soul no matter what, because she'd already be dead.

It was a chance they'd have to take when she went for tea at noon. They'd just have to make sure that Malcolm didn't get the chance to kill her...

Grell still stared down at her, and Riley looked down at the floor.

He opened his mouth to warn her about Malcolm, but couldn't really get his throat to work properly.

Grell suddenly smashed her into a hug, squeezing her as tightly as he could in case he never got the chance to again.

"Grell," Riley said, in an amused tone. "You're so dramatic. I'll be fine."

Grell hugged Riley anyway, and set his chin on the top of her head.

"I don't care, darling! I don't want you to die!" Grell exclaimed, squeezing her tighter. Back to his usual, dramatic self.

Riley hesitated, then hugged him back, taking her arms and wrapping them around his waist.

"You had better be careful today!" Grell exclaimed, his voice straining to sound as if he were joking. "Stay five feet away from Malcolm, and stay near a door or window at all times!"

"I'll be fine," Riley repeated. "Don't worry. You'll be right outside, remember?"

Grell hugged her for a few more minutes, then finally released her, dramatically putting a hand to his forehead as he walked away from her.

"Let's go, before I change my mind!" Grell cried, and Riley laughed.

Everything would be alright, she repeated, trying to make herself believe it.

Everything would go alright.


	10. Chapter 10

***Author's Note: So thank you for reading this far! I'm having so much fun writing this! **

**Will comes into play in this chapter! May be a rocky start, but he's involved later as well! I hope you enjoy this, and please review! Thanks! :-)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Kuroshitsuji, excluding my characters Riley, Hansen and his butler Malcolm. ***

The two walked to the estate clouds outside were still dark, but it wasn't raining, which Riley was glad of.

When they got to the building that they had stood on the roof of, Riley parted with Grell.

"Stay here," she said. "Remember to stay in the bushes so they don't see you."

Grell grabbed her hand to stop her for a moment.

"Be very careful," Grell warned her. "Demons are very manipulative. You can't let him inside your head."

Riley nodded at his words and continued to the estate.

She approached the door and felt her stomach turn in knots.

She tried to just blow off Grell's actions. He was dramatic all of the time. He wasn't actually this worried. There wasn't an actual reason for him to be this worried.

Her mantras weren't working.

Riley rang the doorbell and waited for someone to answer.

The door cracked open and Malcolm looked down at her with a malicious gleam in his silver eyes.

"Welcome, miss Riley," Malcolm greeted her. "Please come in."

He held the door open for her, and seemed to scan the yard around them. "You came alone?" he asked, as he shut the door behind himself.

"Of course," Riley replied, hoping Grell was well-hidden in the courtyard. "Just as you requested."

"Well, then," Malcolm said, leading her farther into the estate. He opened the door to a small room with a chair and a table with some tea. "I've decided to keep our meeting a secret from my master. He's been in an irritable mood of late."

"Alright," Riley replied, sitting down.

Malcolm sat in front of her, and seemed to relax for a moment.

"So," Malcolm started, calmly, as if her answers meant little to him. "Have you been thinking about my offer, then?"

"I have," Riley responded, trying to seem calm and brave like usual. "I've been weighing my options carefully."

"As you should," Malcolm said, leaning back in his chair. "And what have you finally come up with?"

"I'm afraid that I must decline your offer," Riley said, staring him in the eyes to show him that she was serious.

Malcolm was quiet for a moment, but seemed unfazed by her answer. He put a hand to his chin.

"I am saddened by your answer," he finally stated. "May I ask why you are declining?"

"I simply do not trust demons," Riley answered.

Malcolm took a deep breath, then leaned forward in his seat to give her a steady look.

"You have fallen for the reaper," he stated, knowingly. "I should have known that this would happen."

"What? You're wrong," Riley protested, in surprise. "How would you even be able to tell such a thing?"

"I have been around for quite a long time," Malcolm replied. "I've seen such things before, of course."

Riley didn't respond to that. She just stared at him, frozen like a statue. "You hadn't realised?" Malcolm inquired, seeing her bewildered expression. "Well, I'm glad I could enlighten you before I snap your neck."

Riley stood up suddenly, backing away from him.

"I can't let you kill my master early," Malcolm almost chuckled. "If your lover tries to get his soul before I do, things will just be messy for me. You understand."

Riley watched as Malcolm stood up and sauntered toward her.

She bent down suddenly and pulled her gun from her hosiery. It was already loaded, but she knew it wouldn't do anything against the demon but slow him down.

She whipped the weapon in his direction and he grinned at her.

"You've come prepared, I see," he chuckled.

Riley shot him in the chest.

Malcolm stumbled back a few feet but still stood.

"Is that all you have?" he asked, widening his grin.

Riley shot him again. She'd rigged the gun to have more than one round, but Malcolm acted as if nothing happened.

He chuckled.

Riley backed up against the wall, gun still pointed at the demon helplessly.

Wham!

Grell jumped into the room, carrying a large chainsaw, with a red ribbon tied to the handle.

He grinned at the demon with a dramatic glint as his weapon roared to life.

"Well, hello, Malcolm," Grell greeted. "I see you've finished talking with my cupcake, over there."

The demon looked surprised for a moment, then charged Grell, pulling the plate off the table and spinning it dangerously at his head.

Grell ducked and laughed, swinging the chainsaw up to shield himself.

Malcolm jumped and landed behind Grell, but the reaper turned and lashed out at him with his weapon.

Grell suddenly jumped back, doing a flip in the air, and landed beside Riley.

"What'd I miss?" Grell asked, with an excited laugh.

"I think I missed something," Riley replied. "You have a chainsaw?!"

"Rigged it myself! Illegally, of course! Makes it more exciting!" Grell held the handle with one hand and swung the weapon up at the demon. "Let us leave here, and I'll let you live," Grell told the demon.

Malcolm chuckled.

"You are nothing against me," he replied, pulling a table up off the floor and throwing it at them.

Grell pushed Riley onto the floor and cut though the solid wood with his chainsaw.

Wood shavings sprinkled onto Riley's hair, but she stayed on the ground.

Grell ran at the demon, trying to pin him to the wall so he could cut his head off.

Suddenly, Malcolm kicked at Grell's legs and he stumbled.

Riley stood up and watched as Malcolm put his hand on Grell's throat to choke him.

"Stop!" Riley exclaimed, in surprise.

Riley took the gun and shot Malcolm again, but he didn't even stumble. She threw the gun and hit him in the head, but it didn't phase him.

Grell tried to bring the saw up to the demon, but he was standing too far away.

Suddenly, Riley ran at Malcolm and tackled him, using all of her weight to try to knock him away.

The demon was caught off guard and stumbled back a few feet, releasing Grell's throat.

"You stupid girl!" Malcolm yelled, picking Riley up by the waist and throwing her against the wall.

She hit with the entire length of her back, and for a moment, she thought she'd broken her spine.

She crashed onto the ground, but tried to stand up anyway, her head spinning.

Grell looked over at her worriedly, but turned and slammed into the demon, angrily.

He brought the saw up to the demon's neck as Malcolm tripped a bit on the broken pieces of wood, and sliced through his head.

Grell pushed him down, and Malcolm's lifeless body slumped onto the ground.

There was no blood, but the body started to collapse, into black dust.

It crumbled into a pile on the floor at Grell's feet.

Riley had the wind knocked out of her, as she crouched.

"Riley!" Grell exclaimed, running toward her, his chainsaw disappearing in midair.

He crouched beside her and grabbed her arm.

"Are you alright?!" Grell asked, watching her with his yellow eyes.

Riley nodded after a moment, and she tried to stand again.

He helped her stand up, and she held her head.

"I'm fine-" Riley replied. "Just knocked the wind out of me."

Grell released her arm and still studied her warily.

"Are you sure you're alright, darling?" he asked.

"Yes," Riley said.

"I have bad news," Grell exclaimed, as she got ahold of herself.

"What?" Riley gasped.

"Hansen is dead," Grell replied, leaving her side for a moment to peek out into hall. "I came in right after you did and sneaked down the hall. Malcolm had already taken his soul, and left his body in the library."

"You came in right after I did?" Riley asked, still holding her head.

"Yep!" he exclaimed. "Of course! I'm not going to leave you in the devious but attractive hands of a hungry demon!"

He turned and gave her a wink.

"Let's get out of here, darling," he added, opening the window, and motioning for her to follow him. "We need to go back to the inn and think."

"Think?" Riley repeated.

"You're up next on my list," Grell stated, dully. "We need to find a way for you to benefit the world. We only have nine days left."

He jumped out the window and landed in the grass, and Riley tenderly climbed out behind him.

Grell was back to pacing the floor of the inn, his hands behind his head as he walked.

Riley had seen him walk like that several times, but it had usually been when he was carefree.

Grell sighed dramatically as he paced.

"How can we get you to benefit the world within nine days?" he asked, dropping his hands to his sides. "I'm so very tempted to get ahold of Will and ask his opinion in all this."

"The one who cries in fetal position when separated from his glasses?" Riley asked, dubiously.

"Honestly, my darling, Will is much more intelligent than he lets on," Grell grinned at her. "But he's very set on the rules. He's actually an old flame of mine!"

Grell clasped his hands by his face and sighed heavily, as if remembering better times.

"You sure do seem to have quite a few of those," Riley replied, feeling jealousy unexpectedly pump into her veins.

"Ha! Darling, you flatter me," Grell laughed, studying her face closely. "Will never acted as if he liked me, but on the inside, I know his feelings were rampant!"

Riley gave him an odd expression.

"So if this intelligent old flame of yours could be so helpful, why don't we contact him?" Riley grudgingly asked.

Grell put his hands back behind his head, and gave her a sour expression.

"Hm," Grell said as he thought. "Maybe as a last resort. I don't think he'd be very willing to help us. He's a stickler for the rules, honey, and so far we've pretty much broken them all!"

"We have?" Riley asked, surprised.

"Well..." Grell laughed, almost nervously. "I have, at least. But never mind that! We need to come up with more options."

Grell sat back down on the bed, putting a hand under his chin.

"I could pretend to set a town on fire," Grell suggested sarcastically, waving a hand lazily in the air. "Then you could come to the rescue! Oh! I know! Walk out in front of the counsel in that dress I bought you! If that doesn't make them believe you're beneficial to the world, I don't know what will!"

He laughed and gave her a wicked grin.

Riley sighed and glared at him.

"Stop, Grell," she scolded.

"You know you enjoy it, darling! Don't fool yourself," Grell winked and continued to laugh to himself.

Riley didn't respond. She sat down on the other bed, to think.

"I can't come up with anything," she groaned, falling back onto the blankets.

"It seems that Will is slowly dwindling down to our last option," Grell said, seeming torn about the decision. "I guess we can call him up and ask him what he thinks. Don't be surprised if he doesn't want to help, cupcake. I've never even seen the man tie his shoes without permission!"

"Consider me warned," Riley replied. "Just get him here."

...

Grell disappeared for a while, and came back an hour later.

He told Riley that he'd ran into the realm of the reapers and requested that Will meet him right away.

"Will is always so busy," Grell said to her. "You practically have to either hunt him down or leave a note to get him to respond."

"Why is he so busy?" Riley asked.

"Beats me," Grell replied, with a shrug. "As far as I know, he has a list of souls just as anyone else does! He is a bit higher up, so he may have added responsibilities."

Suddenly, a man appeared in their inn room, and Riley flinched in surprise.

He was tall, a bit more so than Grell, and wearing a black suit. His eyes were yellow as Grell's were, and he had on black square-framed glasses with lines on the sides.

He had short-cut black hair, and an expressionless face.

"You again," Will said, not unpleasantly, his gaze meeting Grell's.

"Glad to see you missed me, Will!" Grell replied with a grin. "How have things been?"

"Busy, as usual," Will said, his face still holding no emotion. "Having to clean up your messes, along with the messes of everyone else, like normal."

"Hm. You always were the overachiever," Grell added, crossing one arm across his chest and putting the other underneath his chin in thought. "Except when it came to your B average, of course."

Something in Will's face tightened a bit and Grell laughed.

"I'm only joking!" Grell quickly said, waving a hand in the air as if to fan away the subject. "Anyway, on to more pressing matters. I'd like your opinion on something, William!"

"My opinion?" Will replied, looking over and studying Riley, who'd been sitting quietly on the other bed.

Grell followed his gaze and looked at Riley as well.

"William Spears, this is Riley Fairchild," Grell quickly introduced. "She's actually the matter I need to speak to you about."

"This is the one you put in the request for?" Will asked.

"How did you know about that?!" Grell exclaimed in surprise.

Will held what looked like some sort of gardening shears, and used the blade to push his glasses farther up his nose.

"I'm observant, of course," he replied. "I know all about your little plight. I read through the cases occasionally, when I've got nothing better to do."

"You already know about our problem?" Grell asked, surprised but also seeming a bit impressed.

"Yes. This girl is on your reaping list, but you've fallen in love with her and tried to get her reconsidered by the superiors, but they declined you. Is that it?" Will replied, with a knowing look.

Grell gasped as if Will's words had taken him off guard, but then he shrugged suddenly.

"We can leave it at that for the sake of not having to explain the entire situation," Grell replied, making a face. "We'd like your opinion! Is there any other way to get her reconsidered? Any at all?"

Will gave a sigh, and shook his head.

"I'm working overtime because of you," he said, looking up at Grell from behind his glasses. "Why must you always become so emotionally involved in your work? Emotions are useless in our duty. All they will ever do is hinder you."

"Oh, you know me, William!" Grell announced, dramatically. "My heart has always preferred my sleeve over my chest!"

William blew air out his nose in frustration.

"Once the highest ward makes a decision, it is final," Will said. "I'm afraid I cannot help you."

"Have the superiors ever changed their minds before?" Grell inquired. "Surely they've made a mistake."

"To the extent of my knowledge, they never have," Will answered. "Reconsideration was created for mistakes only. Whether or not a person should truly die is considered as the staff writes the To Die list. It is so rare for them to make mistakes that Reconsiderations are always final."

Will glanced over at Riley with distaste in his eyes.

"People who cause controversy in the stability of the routine are rare as well," he added. He finally turned toward Riley and addressed her directly. "You shouldn't encourage Grell Sutcliff's behaviour. I assure you that his behaviour is uncommon, and against the rules."

"How exactly am I supposed to stop encouraging him?" Riley inquired, confused.

"When your time comes, allow him to reap your soul," Will replied. "It will be much easier for the both of you if you just accept your fate."

"Will!" Grell exclaimed, appalled.

"I'm only speaking the truth," Will said.

"You don't understand," Riley spat in an accusatory tone, her anger seething. "You don't know what it's like to feel love, or fear of death, or miss something you cared about. How can you be a reaper when you don't even understand what you're dealing with?!"

"I understand that rules are rules, and if the list says you're going to die, you're going to die," Will replied, a bit agitatedly. "Don't question it. Work is work. That's simply the way it is."

"So what you're saying is, if two people love each other- then- oh well?!" Riley exclaimed, in disbelief. "That is completely cruel."

"That is just how the world works," Will stated in return.

"You're moronic," Riley said.

"Your opinions of me really have little meaning," Will replied. "You're nothing but a human, who has no influence on my life, and whose time has almost run out."

Riley stood up, snatched his glasses off his face, spit in them, and dropped them on the floor.

"Good day to you, William," she said sarcastically before approaching the door to the inn.

She slammed the door on her way out.


	11. Chapter 11

Riley seethed in anger, as she walked around the town for a good two hours.

What sort of arse was that William guy, anyhow?

How had Grell ever been attracted to him? He seemed like such an insensitive wad of spit.

She kicked at rocks as she wandered down the cobblestone, still huffing in anger whenever she recalled the reaper's emotionless face.

Finally, the sun started to set, and Riley realised that she'd been out walking all day. Maybe she had better get back to the inn.

She turned a corner, and saw the shadow of someone, but it disappeared as quickly as it had come.

Startled, she looked around, but no one was there.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she continued walking-

And ran straight into someone.

She pushed against them in reflex and screamed, her heart pounding painfully.

"Hey! Easy, darling! It's only me!" came Grell's voice from above her.

Riley looked up at his worried face, and let her hands rest against his chest, where she had been trying to push him away.

Grell grabbed her arms and his eyebrows knit together.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Nothing," Riley breathed, her heart returning to normal. "I thought I had seen someone over there, following me."

Grell looked behind her, curiously.

"Who would be following you, cupcake?" Grell asked to relieve her fears. "Besides me, of course!"

He grinned his pointed grin down at her.

Riley didn't answer, but still felt a bit uneasy.

"Let's get back to the inn," Grell suggested, lightly tugging at her arm. "I promise Will's gone."

"He's such an arse," Riley muttered, then spoke a bit louder. "Sorry if you still like him, but how can someone go about life like that? With no emotions? He's completely insensitive!"

Grell laughed.

"That's how you were when I first met you, darling!" Grell exclaimed. "I had to all but bash in the wall you'd built around yourself."

Riley didn't answer.

"I'm sorry, for being rude to your friend," Riley finally said, albeit grudgingly.

Grell laughed again.

"He's no friend of mine," Grell replied. "He doesn't consider me his friend, I don't consider him mine. That is the way of Will. Completely unattached to anything."

"Did he ever mean a lot to you?" Riley asked, as they walked.

"Hm, maybe at one time," Grell replied, ushering her through the darkness.

"I see," Riley replied, lost in thought.

"Why do you ask?" Grell inquired.

"I don't know," Riley answered, her mouth seeming to move of it's own accord. "I was thinking that you had said the same thing about Will, as you did about the Bassy guy."

"And, what would that be, darling?" Grell asked, confused.

"You said that they both acted as if they didn't like you, but you felt that deep inside they had feelings for you," Riley said.

Grell didn't comment.

"I was also thinking," Riley added, "that if you ever do find someone you care a lot about, I hope you don't have to wonder about whether or not they truly like you. As a person, you deserve more than that, I think."

Grell didn't comment at all. He stayed completely silent, but Riley didn't care.

Who really knew what was running through his head at that moment?

She glanced up and saw that a blush had stained his cheeks pink, and that he was staring ahead with surprised eyes.

Maybe he was insulted.

Riley stayed silent as well and they both walked back to the inn.

They made their way to their room, and Riley collapsed on her bed, feeling the strength in her legs sap from all the walking.

Grell sat down on his own bed, and still didn't speak.

When Riley's eyes finally drifted shut, he was still sitting a few feet away, silent.

Riley was dreaming. Her mind flashed with images, burning them into her mind. She dreamt of dying, painfully, feeling as if she had come so close to saving herself- of being able to survive for a while longer-

Her mind pictured herself laying on the ground, on the cobblestone, blood dripping off her lip as Grell sliced her soul from her body, his eyes filled with pain or sadness as he seemed to try to stop himself- but he couldn't.

She dreamt of Will standing above the entire scene, his cold and smirking eyes staring into her own fearful ones as her heart beat for the last time...

"Grell!" Riley gasped, sitting bolt upright in bed as she awakened.

"Yes, darling, what is it?" Grell asked, from his own bed. He was laying on his back, hands behind his head, legs crossed in the air.

It was dark in the room, and Riley only sat there and gasped for breath. She'd never had such a strong nightmare before.

Usually, when she woke, her dreams faded, and they were beyond the reach of her memory. But this time...

As Riley didn't answer, Grell became slightly curious, and also a bit worried. He looked over in her direction.

"Are you alright?" Grell inquired, squinting into the dark to try to see her.

"I'm... fine," Riley replied, as goosebumps broke out over her skin. She hugged herself, still trying to be strong, like she once was. She couldn't deny anymore that she was scared. She only had about a week left. A week.

What if they couldn't find a solution in time?

"Whatever you say, darling. If you need anything, I'm right here, you know!" Grell said dramatically, not moving from his uncomfortable-looking pose.

Even though Riley knew his tone was suggestive, she didn't scold him.

"Grell?" she asked, hesitantly.

"Hm?" he inquired, staring up at the ceiling in a bored manner.

"Can I sleep in your bed, with you?" Riley asked, still feeling the overwhelming terror in the pit of her stomach. Maybe everyone who was about to die became more panicked as their time drew nearer.

Her fear was uncharacteristic, she knew that much. But it was so strong that there was nothing she could do about it.

Grell didn't answer for a moment, and Riley could feel his surprise from across the room.

"Don't tease me like this, cupcake," Grell finally said, trying to sound dramatic, but sounding hesitant instead. "You're always the one telling me to stop joking around."

"I'm not joking," Riley replied, her arms wrapped around herself. She felt the same terror she'd felt when she had seen the shadow in the alley. "I'm serious. I want to sleep over there with you."

Grell still didn't answer for a moment.

She felt something like tension build in the air around them.

"Ah!" Grell exclaimed, sitting up excitedly in his bed. He clasped his fists under his chin. "Come and join me then! This is so exciting, darling! You can stay with me!"

Riley practically ran over to the bed, and threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"I don't know what's wrong with me," Riley admitted grudgingly. "Sometimes, I just get this deep dread in my chest."

"Oh, that!" Grell tried to wave a hand in the air, but Riley had his arms pinned to his sides. "That's just the pre-death jitters! Everyone gets them, when they are anticipating their own downfall! Usually such a terrible thing, but tonight, I have never been more willing to welcome them!"

Riley let go of Grell and sat normally on the small bed, looking into the darkness.

Grell collapsed back onto the bed, like he had been, and grinned at her.

"If you do anything strange," Riley added in a demanding tone, "I'm going back to my own bed. Understood?"

"I'm not the one with the pre-death jitters, now am I, darling?" Grell asked, with a laugh.

Riley laid back onto the bed and closed her eyes.

Her dream sprang forth from her memory, at the vision of the familiar darkness, and she opened them again.

"I don't think I'll sleep tonight," Riley whispered.

Grell turned his head to look at her, and she felt his breath on her cheek.

"Having the nightmares, then?" he asked, his voice quieter and deeper than usual.

Riley didn't answer.

"Always trying so hard to be brave!" Grell sighed, still looking at her. "You're very admirable, you know."

Riley still didn't answer.

"That's what true beauty is, too, darling," Grell added, putting a hand to his forehead. "It's so rare to find a human so devastatingly balanced! You might just be the death of me!"

Riley didn't answer. She felt her face grow hot, but she ignored it.

"You haven't fallen asleep on me, have you?" Grell inquired with a laugh.

"I'm awake," Riley answered, quietly. "True beauty..." she mumbled to herself. She paused a moment to think, and a revelation lit up inside her mind. She debated for a moment whether or not to say it out loud, then finally spoke up. "I think that you're beautiful, Grell."

Grell leaned up on one elbow to give her an odd glance.

"Two compliments in one day? You're not planning on jumping the gun on this whole death thing, are you?"

"Of course not," Riley said, almost a bit angrily. "Being so close to the end of everything... changes a person. It's as if my eyes have been closed my entire life, and I've only just now learned to open them." She paused, then continued. "Before, I never appreciated beauty. I'd become obsessed with righting everyone else's wrongs, because I hadn't been able to completely right my own life. I lived as if I were walking down a narrow tunnel. So, for that, I thank you, Grell."

"Me?!" Grell exclaimed in surprise, putting a hand to his chest. "What did I do?!"

"In an odd way, you sort of helped me realise what is truly important," Riley answered. "If you hadn't decided to show yourself to me, I would have died inside of a tunnel, with no view or knowledge of the outside world."

"If you insist," Grell said, still propped up on one elbow, staring down at her through his jewelled spectacles. "I'm glad to have helped you, then, darling- who knew I'd actually help someone appreciate beauty! Especially someone like you! What a romantic turn of events!"

Grell laughed loudly, as if he had said something hilarious, but Riley didn't know what was so funny.

She paused a moment.

"Why do you appreciate beauty so much, Grell?" Riley inquired.

He looked startled.

"I don't know," he replied. "Maybe for the same reason you do. I am a reaper, of course. When a soul is being collected, there is this thing called a Cinematic Record, or a memory reel. The reaper takes the cinematic record from the soul, and can see the entire life of the one who had just died." Grell grimaced a bit. "I guess being able to see so many sad lives has given me a reason to look for beauty!"

Riley glanced up at him.

"Oh," she said. "I'd never before made the distinction in my own mind about what I thought was beautiful, or what stood out from others."

"You never looked in a mirror, cupcake?" Grell asked with a laugh. "That's quite difficult for me to believe!"

Riley didn't respond.

"You know," Grell added, with a distasteful expression. "I had thought that maybe all reapers have an appreciation for beauty, because we all have such bad vision! Maybe not being able to see well before brought out the desire to see beauty. Like an impulsion, in a roundabout way. Then I realised others aren't as enthusiastic about it as I am."

"Hm," Riley said in thought. "I think you're beautiful, Grell. I'm telling you because I've only just learned to see beauty, I think."

She paused and her eyebrows knit together as she became deep in thought.

Grell plopped back down on his half of the bed, his cheeks red.

"You flatter me, cupcake," he said, looking down with sadness in his eyes.

"I'm serious," Riley insisted. "I've decided to be more observant about the world. I really believe that."

"Ha!" Grell laughed, as if he still didn't believe her.

"You don't agree?" Riley asked, with raised eyebrows.

"I have an eccentric taste in beautiful, darling, and that doesn't include myself," he replied, still not meeting her gaze.

"What about your hair, then?" Riley demanded.

"What about it?" Grell asked, making a face.

"You don't think your hair is beautiful?" Riley inquired.

Grell didn't answer.

"Or your eyes?" Riley continued. "Your long legs? What about your smile? Or your teeth?"

Grell didn't answer.

Riley stopped asking questions and calmed down a bit.

"No," Grell said, his voice flat.

"You're beautiful, Grell, and that's that!" Riley demanded.

Grell laughed and crossed his arms over his chest, wiggling.

"Stop, you're making me tingle," Grell said, his voice rising a bit.

Riley rolled her eyes at his dramatics.

"I honestly don't understand why we're having this conversation," Riley stated, blowing air out of her nose.

Grell turned around suddenly, and grabbed her, pressing her against his body.

Riley fidgeted a bit, but didn't push him away.

"You're subconsciously trying to tell me that you want my body, darling. Don't fight it," Grell replied in a dramatic whisper, and Riley actually laughed.

Shaking her head, she pushed her way out of his arms and laid back down on her half of the bed. Grell sat up beside her and crossed his legs Indian-style.

"I don't think that is what's happening," Riley said. "Although it is strange that when Hansen touched me, I hated it, but when it's you, I don't quite mind."

Riley heard the words with her own ears as they came out of her mouth, and knew they sounded stranger than intended, but there was nothing she could do to take them back, now.

"I think it's because you don't disgust me," Riley added, hoping that made the sentence sound less awkward.

Grell grinned slowly at her.

"You don't quite mind me, hm?" Grell repeated, with a raised eyebrow. "That's sign number two! Keep talking, darling, and you'll have three signs that you subconsciously want my body. Just go on, continue talking. I'm dying to hear what else you have to say!"

Riley clamped her mouth shut, and shook her head, honestly a bit worried that she'd say something that he could take the wrong way.

"Nothing else, then?" Grell laughed with a wicked grin. "You'll come around, darling. They always do. Either that, or I can add you to my 'list of people who secretly have feelings for me'. You can be right behind my Bassy and William!"

He laughed, but Riley felt her heart sink a bit.

He was right.

There was only two ways it could go. She blinked in surprise.

Not even realising what she was doing, Riley sat up like Grell was, and pressed her lips against his.

Grell seemed completely thrown off guard at first, and froze, his eyes wide.

Then, after a moment he put a hand to her face, and kissed her back, closing his eyes and pushing her loose hair behind her ear, out of his way.

Riley wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him closer, deepening the kiss.

Finally, after what seemed like an hour, Riley backed off, taking a deep breath, but Grell pulled her back.

"Not yet," he said, his voice rougher than usual. "I've been waiting for this moment since we met."

He kissed her again, and pulled her onto his lap, where he could reach better.

Riley still had her arms around his neck, and he wrapped his arms around her waist to draw her as close to himself as possible.

She was surprised at the small touches he gave her: how soft his lips were, how gentle his fingers were as they brushed her cheek.

Riley felt his tongue run across her bottom lip, and she finally pulled away again.

When Grell allowed her to break the kiss, she stared up at him in surprise. The entire room seemed to buzz with the tension in the air.

His gaze met hers, with more conflicting emotions than Riley could count.

"I told you that you wanted my body, darling," Grell winked at her. "I just didn't know that I was right."

Riley stayed silent, feeling her heart pound in her chest.

"Well? Aren't you going to deny it?" Grell asked, with a mischievous grin.

Riley didn't answer, still.

With wide eyes, she jumped off of Grell's lap and back into her own bed, hoping the darkness concealed the red and fear in her face.

"Ah!" Grell gasped dramatically, as she left. "It's just like you to get me all worked up like this, and then leave, darling."

He collapsed back into his pillows, with a sigh.

Riley laid down on her own blankets, and listened to the silence.

She honestly couldn't believe what had just happened.

"You didn't have to leave just because you kissed me," Grell said, sounding as if he were trying to convince her. "Now I'm so LONELY over here."

He waited another few minutes.

"If you come back over here, we don't even have to talk about it! It's like it never even happened!" Grell added.

Riley still didn't move.

"Please!" Grell exclaimed dramatically, lifting a hand in the air and dropping it onto his face.

"Fine," Riley answered, quietly, sounding a bit exasperated. "Because you said 'please'."

Grell sat upright, quickly, his eyebrows knit together.

"Really?" he asked, surprised.

He heard her bed creak as she left it, and felt his own move with her added weight.

"No funny business," Riley added, in a demanding tone. "Understand? If you do anything, I will punch you in the mouth."

"How come you're allowed to assault me, but I'm not allowed to assault you? That's hardly fair, darling!" Grell announced as he laid back down on his half of the small bed.

"First off, it wasn't assault. Secondly, because I said so," Riley replied, laying down as well.

She closed her eyes, and tried to fall asleep.

"Tomorrow, I have someone else who might be able to help us," Grell added. "We'll go and see him, explain the situation, see what he thinks!"

"Alright," Riley replied, wondering exactly what their situation was now. "I hope he's more enthusiastic than Will."

"Trust me, darling," Grell said. "He'll probably be TOO enthusiastic."

"Brilliant," Riley replied, hoping that he was right.

"Nighty-night, cupcake," Grell laughed, as he stayed a safe distance away from her.

"Good night, Grell," she replied, smiling a little.

As she tried to fall asleep, Riley still felt fear in her stomach. It wasn't from pre-death jitters this time, though.

It had been as if she were standing on the edge of a cliff, precariously balancing only because she knew that standing on solid ground was what kept her alive.

She was frightened that she had actually let herself take the final step that would cause her to fall for Grell. She felt as if it were impossible. She was probably going to die, and Grell was going to have to collect her soul.

Why had she let herself feel emotions toward Grell knowing that they were most likely going to end up in that way?

Now things would just be harder for them in the end.

Maybe William had been right, after all.


	12. Chapter 12

***Author's Note: Hello! Thanks for reading this far! We're into some scenes with the Undertaker now! Who doesn't love Undertaker? :-) Please review and let me know how you're liking the story! I love to hear from you all! Thanks! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Kuroshitsuji besides my own originals!***

Grell wasn't going to sleep for the world.

It had been about two hours since Riley had returned to his bed to sleep, and he listened to her deep breathing in the silence.

His mind was still a bit hastened because of the kiss earlier, and Grell wondered why she'd done it.

Sure, she complimented him sometimes. But that didn't mean that she actually liked him or cared about him or wanted to kiss him or anything. Right?

Maybe it had been an impulse thing because she was dying.

Grell sighed as he stared up into the darkness of the ceiling, one crook of his arm bent over his forehead, one hand resting on his stomach.

Tomorrow, he was going to take Riley to visit the Undertaker of a town a few miles away. The Undertaker was actually a reaper in disguise, and he always had tons of information about everything.

Maybe he had a way to get Riley reconsidered again.

Suddenly, Riley scooted closer to Grell in her sleep and laid her head on his shoulder, her eyes squeezed tight as if she were having a nightmare.

With a thrill, Grell wrapped his arm behind her head and drew her closer to himself, wondering if she would wake up and punch him in the mouth as promised.

She didn't, though, and she groggily laid a hand on his stomach.

Grell huffed in exasperation, a bit pissed that he would meet this girl when she was on the brink of death, with him being her name holder, her soul written into his list with the semipermanent black ink of the damned reaper who had decided that she deserved to die.

Grell needed to make up his mind. Did he love this girl, or was he just fascinated by her?

He had a tendency to do that, sometimes, when his heart ran away with a mind of it's own.

He looked down at her, trying to decide.

Her lashes fluttered with her nightmares, and she suddenly opened her eyes.

Grell was still looking down at her, and she sleepily met his gaze.

He waited for her to punch him in the throat, but she didn't.

She gave him a small smile, and curled up against his chest.

"Grell," she whispered in her sleep-induced haze. "You look so sad..."

She seemed to try to hug him or something, but then fell back asleep, her head resting on his chest and her hand on his stomach.

"Why me?" Grell whispered dramatically. "Why does love always find me in the most dastardly of places?"

He let his head fall back onto his pillows, and laid his right arm over her shoulder.

She'd probably punch him in the morning, when she was awake and lucid enough to understand what was going on, but he didn't care.

Grell wasn't going to fall asleep for the world.

He was going to stay there, holding Riley, and savouring the moment in case his luck ran out and the very worst happened, in the end.

As Riley drifted back into consciousness, she could see the sunlight on her eyelids, and knew it was morning.

She tried to get her bearings, to remember where she was- and then, she did.

The kiss with Grell, the horrible nightmares, the sharing of the bed.

She slowly opened her eyes, and squinted against the sudden light.

She was sleeping on Grell's chest, one of his arms around her, comfortingly.

And this time, his hand wasn't gripping her wrist, which meant she had probably done this of her own accord, no less.

She felt Grell's chest moving steadily beneath her, and wondered if he were sleeping.

Riley needed to make the decision now: did she mention what had happened last night, or did she pretend that it had never happened?

She didn't know.

Hell, she didn't even know how any of this would end up.

Maybe she should just not plan anything and just go along with whatever happened.

Riley sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes to help her wake up.

She glanced over at Grell, and she saw that he was asleep. His face was devoid of any emotion, his glasses were hanging off one ear, and his lips were slightly parted so she could see the point of his teeth.

Riley reached over and righted his glasses, and started to leave the bed.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed her arm.

"Where are you going?" Grell asked, sitting up and shaking his head a bit to wake up.

"Er- to change clothes," Riley answered, staring at him with wide eyes.

He let go of her arm and gave her a pointed grin.

"Dress warmer than usual, my darling," Grell advised. "It's cold in the morgue we're going to visit."

"Morgue?" Riley asked, surprised.

Grell didn't respond, so she shrugged and left the bed.

"Well, damn it all, then!" Grell exclaimed, sounding teasing. "I guess that means that dress is out of the question!"

"Dress?" Riley asked, in confusion, then remembered the dress that Grell had bought because it had been... lacking fabric, for a better explanation. "Grell Sutcliff! Get that dress out of your mind! It's never going to happen!"

She huffed in agitation as she walked into the washroom.

"You never know, cupcake!" Grell laughed, finally standing from his bed.

"Why are visiting a morgue?" Riley inquired, finishing changing and walking back out in a simple dress that had a jacket that could be removed.

"The man I told you about last night," Grell replied, walking into the washroom and checking his face in the tiny mirror. "He's the undertaker. But he's actually a reaper! He knows everything, I've heard. He might know a way to get you reconsidered, again!"

Grell wrapped his arms around himself and rocked back a bit.

Riley glanced at him in confusion.

"Is he an old flame of yours, as well, then?" she asked.

Grell stuck his tongue out at her and gave her a wink.

"Not this time, darling!" he laughed, grabbing her hand. "Let's go! The town is a few miles away!"

Grell pulled her out of the inn and down the street.

Riley just hoped that this Undertaker could actually help.

She'd lost count of the days that she had left.

"How many days do I have left, Grell?" Riley asked as they walked.

"Six days, fifteen hours, seven minutes and twenty-one seconds," Grell replied not even looking at his list.

Riley was speechless.

"But who's counting?" Grell added with a wave of his hand. "We've got plenty of time- everything will work out in the end, darling! Don't you worry at all!"

"If you say so," Riley said, still feeling worried even though he'd said not to.

"Just think!" Grell added, dramatically waving his hands and spinning around a bit. "In seven days, when we have saved your soul, what is the first thing you want to do?"

"That I want to do?" Riley asked, surprised.

"Of course, my dear!" Grell replied. "Imagine! It's the day after your scheduled death! What do you want to do?"

"Er... I don't know," Riley answered, watching as Grell bounced in front of her and started walking backwards to talk. His yellow eyes were wide with excitement.

"Well you think about it, darling, and let me know! We'll have like a celebration!" He gave her a grin.

"Alright," Riley replied, a bit confused.

"Lovely!" Grell almost sang. "This is going to be so exciting!"

He gave her a mischievous grin, and practically spun in circles as he walked.

Riley didn't respond as they continued down the street.

She felt a bit nervous as they grew closer and closer to the town that contained the reaper that might be able to help them.

She just hoped that it didn't fall through.

Six days just didn't seem like enough time.

...

As Riley and Grell approached the town, the skies above them started to darken with what looked like rain. The wind blew a bit chilly across the road, making Riley shiver.

"Is it really a morgue we're going to?" she asked Grell, as he tried to keep his hair from messing up in the wind.

"Well, it's more like a... Oh, I don't know how to explain it, darling," he made a questioning face. "The sign out front says 'Undertaker', and the inside is filled with coffins like a funeral parlour, but he experiments on the dead, as well. What makes me call it a morgue is the fact that it's freezing cold inside! I don't know how, or why, but it is, darling, you'll see when we get there."

Grell interlocked his fingers behind his head and walked like that for a while, like he was trying to be casual.

"And this undertaker, who is actually a reaper?" Riley inquired. "How can he be both at the same time?"

Grell dropped his hands and gave her a slow grin.

"Oh, you're so perceptive, cupcake! Of course you would realise the fact that reapers usually don't have enough time to mingle down here for long, due to our never ending jobs and all!" He turned around to face her as they were walking and leaned his face very close to hers. "The undertaker is a deserter," he whispered dramatically. Standing back up, he returned to his normal voice. "Well, one may call him retired, I assume. But he doesn't collect souls anymore. He deals with the living, and the dead, which is way more against the rules than anything I've ever done! It's illegal for him to do what he's done, and at first I wanted to drag him back to the head reapers, but I was... convinced otherwise."

Riley waited for him to continue, but he didn't.

"And he'll be able to help us, even though he doesn't collect souls anymore?" Riley asked.

Grell looked down at her again.

"When he was a reaper, I heard he was one of the best!" Grell replied, wrapping a hand around her waist and pulling her closer to him. "I heard people used to line up for their souls to be taken by him!"

Riley didn't try to get out of his grip and instead gave him a confused look.

"People would line up?" Riley asked. "To die?"

Grell released her and threw his hands in the air in a shrug.

"It's only hearsay, darling, don't shoot the messenger!" he replied, with a wave of his hand. "Here we are!"

Grell jumped and landed behind Riley, pointing to a building down the street. A sign hung on the front, which read: 'Undertaker', and the building gave off a mysterious air.

Grell walked back around to in front of her.

"Let's go in, then," Riley said, trying to sound brave.

Grell started off down the street, approaching the building with something like hesitation mixed with anxiety.

He opened the door and allowed Riley to go in first.

The cold hit her like a physical being and she stumbled a bit, Grell slipping into the room behind her.

Riley glanced around, and saw coffins stacked everywhere in the dark room, and strange tools scattered around.

There was no one else in the room but them and the eerie silence seemed to scream in Riley's ears as she turned around to search.

"There's no one here," Riley stated as Grell walked further into the room.

"Oh, he's here somewhere, dar-"

Suddenly, the coffin closest to Grell slammed open, and Grell jumped a foot in the air.

"Hah!" a man laughed as he stepped out of the coffin.

Grell put both hands over his heart, giving the man a glare through his jewelled glasses.

The man was wearing a large black hat, and dark clothing. His long grey hair covered his eyes, and a single braid ran down the right side of it. Riley noticed stitches on his cheek under his hair, and just under the collar of his black attire, on his neck.

"Welcome, Riley Fairchild," the man giggled in a thick accent.

He looked over at Grell, and grinned maliciously. "Gave ya quite the fright, did I?" he asked, laughing.

Grell mumbled to himself about not being afraid, and crossed his arms uncomfortably.

"How did you know my name?" Riley asked him, standing close beside Grell in the cold room.

The man, Undertaker, Riley assumed, turned in her direction and widened his grin.

"Every reaper has heard your name, dearie," Undertaker replied. "You're scheduled to die in six days, this much I know. I've your coffin all ready, I do. Waiting for ya in the back."

He pointed behind him with a mischievous aura. Riley glanced to where he had motioned, with wide eyes.

Undertaker laughed loudly in his unsettling voice, and turned over to a different section of the room.

"Ya both can sit over there," he said.

Riley looked over at the coffins, where he wanted them to sit, and felt her skin crawl a bit.

"I'll make ya some tea while we talk," he added. With a motion toward Grell, he giggled. "And you're the one who is going to ask the questions, I'll bet. Ya want to know 'bout this lady, how to save her, I'll bet."

Riley was disturbed by this man, for some reason. Everything about him was unsettling, from the way he walked to the way he talked.

"You're right about that," Grell answered, hesitantly sitting down on the offered coffin. "I would like your opinion."

Riley followed his lead and sat down beside him.

Undertaker spun around and held a tray to them, giving them cups filled with an odd red tea that looked a bit like watered-down blood.

Riley took the cup, and so did Grell, who sniffed his warily with a raised eyebrow.

Undertaker set the tray down and plopped down on the coffin in front of them.

"If you want any information from me, you'll have to give me something in return," Undertaker added, with a giggle. "I don't do anything without some form of motivation, I don't."

"How much money do you want?" Riley asked. "I'm prepared to give you any amount you request."

"I don't want the queen's notes," Undertaker replied, looking a tad disgusted at the thought. "What I require is much more substantial."

Grell made a noise that sounded like he already knew what was coming.

"Just give me a first-rate laugh, and you'll know everything that I do," Undertaker added, with a finger to his chin.

"A laugh?" Riley repeated in surprise.

"Of course," Undertaker said, cocking his head at her in an amused way. "What a sad place the world would be, without laughter." He sat back and looked at the two patiently, with a challenging smirk. "Go on, now."

Riley looked at Grell. He was the one who was good at emotions. Riley hadn't ever actually laughed until she'd met him.

Grell hesitated, with a surprised expression, and looked down at Riley.

"You're up then, Grell," Riley said. "This is more your territory."

"Come, now," Undertaker said to Riley, with a malicious eye. "He's traipsing all about the country trying to save ya. The least ya could do is be the one that tells the joke."

He had a point, Riley knew.

"But I don't know any jokes," she admitted, with a worried look.

Undertaker hesitated a moment, staring at her with his hidden eyes, then burst into laughter, rearing back in his seat, then doubling over, arms wrapped around his stomach as if he'd gotten a sudden cramp.

"Don't- know any- jokes!" he exclaimed between bouts of laughter.

He reached underneath his hair and wiped a tear from his eye.

Riley looked up at him in confusion, wondering why he was laughing when she hadn't told a joke.

Undertaker doubled over again, and Riley started to say something, when Grell reached over and pushed his hands over her mouth to stop her.

He gave her a wide-eyed expression and removed his hands as the undertaker looked back up.

"I'll tell ya anythin' ya want!" Undertaker laughed, finally starting to settle down.

He looked back up but continued grinning, staring at Riley in a way that made her uncomfortable.

"Right..." Riley replied, looking up at Grell.

"Undertaker," Grell started, waving a hand in the air. "We need to know if there is a way to get Riley reconsidered by the superiors."

"You've already had her reconsidered once, I heard," Undertaker said. "They shot ya down, they did. Said your emotions got in the way."

Grell huffed in agitation, tapping a foot on the ground.

"I know," he replied. "I need them to reconsider her again."

Undertaker laughed loudly.

"Reconsiderations are permanent, reaper," he said. "Although, considering your own personal dilemma... There might be a way to save her..."

He put a hand to his chin in thought.

"What?" Grell asked, eagerly leaning forward in his seat.

"Can't say," Undertaker stated, with a turn of his head.

"Can't say?!" Grell exclaimed angrily. "That's not fair at all! We gave you your laugh, you give us your information!"

"Calm down, reaper," Undertaker said, holding a hand out toward him. "I can suggest that saving one of their own would change their minds."

"Saving one of their own?" Grell repeated in confusion. "What does that mean?"

"Across town, the very last building before ya get to the river, there's a lady there named Vera Simmons. She can help ya. Tell her I sent ya," Undertaker shrugged as if if were nothing, which Grell thought it was.

"What's this Vera Simmons going to do?" Grell actually demanded, surprising Riley. She'd never seen angry Grell before.

"She's a seer," Undertaker replied with a knowing grin.

"A seer?" Grell asked, surprised. "They exist?"

"What's a seer?" Riley cut in, curiously.

"They can see into the future, darling," Grell answered, returning to normal. "They're really a myth. I've never met one before, but I've heard of them! How interesting."

"Tell her I sent ya," Undertaker added. "She'll tell ya exactly what ya can do to save your lady, here."

Grell looked satisfied with that answer and stood up.

"Alright, but if she can't help us, we're coming back," Grell stated.

Undertaker stood up as well and laughed as he backed into a coffin, shutting the door behind him.

They heard his muffled laughs echoing in the wood as they slowly left the building.


	13. Chapter 13

***Author's note: Hi! I hope you enjoy this chapter! I've had so much freaking fun with this story, it's a little crazy! This scene's a tad dramatic, so please review and tell me what you think! :-) Thanks to everyone who's read this far! **

**Disclaimer: I still do not own Grell, Undertaker, or Will unfortunately. All I own are my original characters. ***

Riley walked down the street, thinking about their conversation with Undertaker, repeating everything he'd said in her mind until it made sense.

Grell walked along behind her, seeming to drag a bit as if he were tired.

Riley looked over at him.

"How far away is the river that Undertaker was telling us about?" Riley asked him.

Grell almost didn't seem to hear her, because he was lost in thought, but he finally turned toward her with an odd expression.

"About two days on foot," Grell answered.

"Two days?!" Riley gasped in surprise.

"Don't look so shocked, cupcake," Grell said with a flair, and a forced smile. "The town may not be that big, but it's the woods we have to trek through that makes it a two day job. We get there when we get there! We'll make it an adventure!"

"If you say so," Riley replied, studying him as he walked with his face turned away from her. "Grell?" she asked.

He didn't look back over at her, but kept his face to the ground.

"Yes?" he inquired in his dramatic voice.

"You're not getting sick again, are you?" Riley asked him, watching his face carefully for any hint of doubt or subterfuge.

He hesitated.

"Of course not, darling," he said, turning to her to give her a pointed grin.

"Don't lie to me," Riley demanded, sternly.

"I'm not lying, doll! I'm perfectly fine, still as gorgeous as ever, in tip top condition!" He stood up a bit straighter as if to prove his point.

"Well... We're going to take this journey easy, even so," Riley added.

"Don't be silly," Grell exclaimed, giving her a surprised expression. "We need to get to this Vera Simmons woman as soon as possible."

"We're taking it easy," Riley finalised. "Like you said, we get there when we get there."

Grell huffed a bit, but finally agreed.

They continued on their journey to the outermost edges of the town in contemplative silence.

...

That night, the pair had finally decided to camp for the night, feeling exhausted.

They had already made it to the edge of the town, and had started walking in through the woods toward the river.

Because they hadn't passed any inns in a while, they decided to just camp out under the trees.

They laid their blankets down on the ground and plopped down.

"My feet are killing me," Riley looked down at her flat shoes, then wondered how Grell was still standing when the heels on his boots were even taller than hers.

Grell laughed at her comment and stretched himself lazily out on his blanket.

"Just think, darling! Maybe by tomorrow night, all of this will be over!" Grell replied, putting his hands beneath his head.

"It's been quite a wild-goose chase, hasn't it?" Riley added, with a sigh. "But, Grell, thank you for helping me. You've aided me in more ways than you know."

Grell looked over at her, as she laid on her blanket, and gave her a grin.

"Trust me, darling, the pleasure has been all mine on this adventure," Grell replied. "But let's not talk as if it's over! We still have five more days left, tomorrow."

"Right," Riley agreed.

They settled into silence, as they each realised the days were quickly dwindling down to nothing. More quickly than either of them wanted or anticipated.

"Good night, cupcake," Grell said, and Riley felt something stir in her chest.

"Night, Grell," she replied, feeling the corner of her mouth rise in a smile on it's own accord.

She rolled over to face the opposite direction, and watched the shining stars dance in the sky.

...

The next morning, Grell woke Riley up a bit earlier than usual, because he was eager to get a head start on the trek through the woods.

As they packed their blankets in Grell's disappearing bag, Riley looked over at him.

"Did you sleep last night?" she asked him, trying to pretend that she didn't care one way or the other.

Grell hoisted the bag back up into the air, where it vanished, and shrugged.

"Maybe a bit," he replied, starting to walk back into the wilderness. "You know how I am!"

Riley set her jaw in frustration, and followed him.

They walked for a few minutes in silence, each one lost in their own train of thought, when they suddenly walked into a clearing with a small lake to their left.

Riley stared at it in surprise, because they had come upon it so quickly.

"This place is beautiful," Riley noted quietly, staring around at the slightly moving water, the flowers, the breeze, and trees and butterflies.

Grell was silent for a moment, then suddenly started unbuttoning his vest.

Riley watched him for a second in confusion.

"What are you doing?" she demanded as he pulled his vest off and started undoing his shirt.

He gave her a wink as he tossed his shirt on the ground.

"Let's go for a dip," he said as reply, throwing her a sly grin over his bare shoulder.

Riley just stared at him, wide-eyed.

"We can't go for a dip!" she exclaimed.

"Why not?" Grell asked, not seeming to care about her answer as he pulled his shoes off and tossed them aside.

"B-because!" Riley stuttered, defensively, thinking of several good reasons, but only saying one. "I can't swim!"

Grell paused in his disrobing to throw her an odd glance.

"Can't swim?" he asked with a grin. "Haven't you ever swam before, darling? It's quite refreshing, especially if you're not alone."

He winked at her, and she felt her face turn red because he was half-naked, but she tried to hide it.

"For your information, I haven't ever swam before," Riley stated.

Grell laughed, then put his hands on his hips.

"Take your dress off, cupcake- if you go in the water like that you'll sink to the bottom in five seconds!" Grell grinned at her.

Riley crossed her arms and her jaw dropped in surprise.

"I will not!" she gasped. "Don't be absurd."

"Well you're going in there one way or another, darling," Grell grinned.

"I think I'll just wait here, thank you," she insisted.

Suddenly, Grell picked her up like she weighed nothing, and tossed her into the water.

Too surprised to scream, she felt the freezing water close around her, and she reached an arm out above her head as if to grab ahold of the air. She felt herself sinking though, because of the weight of her dress.

Grell had jumped into the water behind her, and Riley felt him grab her arm, hoisting her back up so her head was above water.

Riley blinked drops out of her eyes as she wrapped her arms around his neck in a panic. He held her close, with an amused look on his face.

Riley glanced over at him, angrily.

He'd been completely drenched, his hair hanging in his face, his glasses shining with water droplets. He had no shirt on, which made Riley silently panic.

"You idiot!" Riley huffed at him as he laughed at her fear. She held on for dear life because the water was so much deeper than she was tall. "I could've died!"

"Don't be ridiculous, darling, I was right here!" Grell replied, still with his grin. "Besides! You still have five days left before that! You don't have to worry at all!"

Riley still huffed in anger.

"I'll teach you to swim, then!" Grell exclaimed in excitement.

"No, thank you," Riley stated, dully.

"Come on," Grell insisted. "Don't you want to learn to swim?"

"No," Riley repeated.

"All you do is push against the water, cupcake, it's not that hard," Grell added, rolling his eyes at her and grinning.

"I don't care," Riley stated. "Let's go back to the bank."

"I'm going to let go of you now," Grell said. "Then you can swim on your own."

"No!" Riley exclaimed, worriedly.

Grell let go of her anyway, and she started to sink, but she held onto his neck even tighter.

With a laugh, he reached down and jokingly splashed water up onto her.

She turned her head in his direction, ready to yell at him, but he had turned his as well, so the tips of their noses brushed as she moved. Realising how close together they were, wondering if he'd planned it on purpose, Riley felt herself freeze.

Grell had frozen as well, and looked at her with wide eyes.

Maybe he hadn't planned it.

Riley subconsciously tilted her head a bit, so her hair dragged the water around them, silently debating as she brought their faces closer together.

Their lips touched, and Grell finally made the move to actually kiss her, pulling her close against him in the water.

She felt him wrap his arms around her waist either in the moment or to keep her from drowning, and she could feel the muscles in his arms pressing against her back.

Riley broke the kiss in the sheer panic that it would lead to more, and looked down into the water for a moment to think.

She felt Grell quickly start to swim back to the bank, taking her with him.

As he helped her get up onto solid ground, he jumped out of the lake easily, shaking the water off of himself like a dog.

Riley didn't know what to say. How many times would they be able to do this and just pretend it hadn't happened? she wondered.

She opened her mouth to say something when a giant clap of thunder practically deafened both of them.

Riley glanced up at the sky, then the clouds opened up over them, sending a downpour over everything.

Grell ran over to the tree for meagre cover, and Riley followed him, deciding not to mention the kiss unless he brought it up first.

"I guess we'll be a bit late to Vera Simmons', darling," Grell said as the downpour worsened.

Riley shrugged.

"We get there when we get there," she replied.

Grell plopped down onto the ground and Riley sat beside him, dripping water onto the grass. Grell leaned against the tree, bending a knee, then crossing the other leg over it with a dramatic sigh.

They both watched the rain in comfortable silence.

...

It rained for what seemed to be forever to Riley, especially when they had such little time left.

Grell became impatient, standing back up and pacing back and forth in their small reprieve from the shower.

"If we keep waiting like this, if this Vera Simmons woman can't help us, we won't have enough time to walk back to town to see Undertaker," Grell said, as he crossed his arms worriedly.

Even though they'd both been out of the rain directly for hours, they were still soaking wet.

Riley tried to pretend that she wasn't cold, but her shivers were becoming noticeable.

As the sun started to set, Riley realised that another entire day had passed, and her time was growing closer.

But more important to her at the moment was the fact that Grell became paler as the day wore on.

At first, Riley thought it was just the lighting, but it soon became apparent that dark circles shadowed under his eyes as if he was sick or tired.

But still, he paced back and forth impatiently.

Riley watched him for hours, until finally, she stood up and grabbed his shoulders. He stopped and looked a bit startled.

"Grell," Riley said firmly. "Sit down. Please. You look as if you're going to faint."

Grell's face became a mask of confusion for a moment, then he gave her a small grin.

"Don't be so dramatic, darling, I'm absolutely fine! You worry far too much!" Grell replied, shaking off her hands and continuing his pacing.

"Why are you so pale, then?" Riley demanded, watching him walk.

"Pale?" Grell laughed. "I'm not pale, I'm perfectly-"

He cut off suddenly and stumbled, reaching a hand out to prop himself up against the tree. With a hand to his head, his breathing became ragged. His glasses fell from his face, and he passed out, falling onto his knees suddenly.

Riley caught him before he collapsed completely and gently set him down, worry coursing through her body.

"Grell?" she whispered in fear, watching as his head lulled to the side. "Grell? Grell, wake up!"

She rolled him onto his back and grabbed his shoulders to shake him. He still wasn't wearing a shirt, and his skin seemed so cold. The last time he'd been sick, his skin had been hot.

Riley looked around, searching for Grell's shirt, but it was out in the rain, completely soaked.

She saw his vest, though, and it was a few feet away, dry.

Reaching over, she snatched it up and laid it across his chest.

It seemed hardly anything, to keep him warm.

Riley took off her jacket and put it on top of his vest.

What was wrong with him?

Why was he sick?

Riley pulled the jacket over him tighter as she tried to remember.

Last time, he'd said that sometimes reapers grow exhausted whenever they're under tremendous stress, but Riley wasn't sure if this was the same type of illness.

With worry knotting her chest, she pressed her ear against his heart and heard the slow, steady rhythm.

At least he was still alive.

The rain was still pouring, and Riley laid down next to Grell and tried to share her body heat with him.

He had to wake up at some point. Right?

She shivered as she hoped that this was just like last time, and that he would wake up after he was good and rested.

...

Riley heard silence.

She knew it was the next morning by the light that brightened the insides of her eyelids.

She felt cold, and her damp clothes stuck to her chilled skin.

Trying to recall what had happened, she groaned a bit, then everything came rushing back at her.

Grell!

Her eyes snapped open and she sat up quickly, looking around.

The rain had stopped, giving the world a fresh look, so she turned to study her counterpart in concern.

Grell was still on his back, his head turned to the side, his face expressionless. His red hair was still damp and curling around his chin.

"Grell?" she asked, shaking his arm a bit.

He still didn't move, and Riley felt the back of her throat burn. Her throat became thick as the realisation hit her. She had been expecting him to be awake already.

"Grell, wake up," she said, her voice cracking.

He didn't move still, and Riley bent her head, dry sobbing because she refused to cry.

"Grell, please wake up," Riley whispered. "I don't know how to help you. I don't know what to do."

He didn't respond.

She knew that she had to get to Vera Simmons, to find out how to save her own life. But she couldn't leave without Grell. She couldn't.

Riley reached out and felt his forehead. It was freezing cold.

In a panic, she made sure his heart was still beating, and it was. She sighed in relief, and laid back down beside him to try to keep him warm.

She would just wait until he woke up.

But... What if he didn't wake up in time?

Riley felt a sharp pain in her chest.

She didn't care.

She decided that she was going to stay with him until he woke up, for as long as she had left.

When it came down to her last few hours, if he was still unconscious, she'd wait until someone came to take her soul.

She'd tell them about Grell, so that way when she died, she'd know that he was not forgotten in the woods alone.

Maybe another reaper would be able to help him after she was gone.


	14. Chapter 14

***Author's note: Sorry this ones a bit shorter than usual! I still hope you enjoy it! Thanks for reading and please let me know what you think! :-) All I own are my original characters! * **

It had been another few hours, and Riley knew she only had four days left.

The seconds felt like eternities as she laid next to Grell's cold body.

She felt as if she were in shock or denial, or maybe some deep form of acceptance of Grell's death and her own.

She thought back to her past. Of how she'd saved her younger siblings and given the old couple some children. Of how she'd been so unhappy that she'd chosen lack of emotion over the eternal void that had seemed to be in her chest.

It was strange. Even though she was laying on the cold ground, with Grell unconscious beside her, she didn't feel that void anymore.

She couldn't honestly believe how far she'd come in the last few weeks.

Her mind drifted into emptiness as she wondered if Grell was going to die.

What if Grell died before she did? What would she do?

Trying to push the thoughts from her head, she stayed close to him, trying to will her warmth into his body.

"Grell," she tried to say, but her voice sounded like a broken whisper. "Please don't die. Please, Grell."

She felt her eyes burn but she tried to force the tears away. She felt as if something were being stolen from her; some part of herself. She had just grasped onto something and now it was being forced from her clenched fingers. She looked down at Grell as her eyes burned, memorising his face in despair.

Suddenly, he moved.

With a start, Riley sat up quickly and stared down at him with wide eyes. But he seemed still.

Maybe her exhausted mind had hallucinated the movement.

As soon as confusion hit her, he head slowly turned toward her and Riley blinked quickly to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

Her eyes burned again and her vision went blurry as she blinked.

"Grell?" she asked, in a disbelieving whisper.

He opened his eyes at her as if they were still heavy, and gave her a slow grin.

"Grell!" She collapsed on to him, wrapping her arms around him as tears fell freely from her eyes. She squeezed him tightly as he tried to sit up. "No," she sobbed as she still embraced him. "Don't hurt yourself-"

Grell sat up anyway and still seemed rather pale.

He patted her back with his hand and breathed heavily. Riley reached on the ground beside her and picked up his jewelled glasses, sliding them back onto his pale face.

"Are- you crying, cupcake?" Grell asked, trying to sound as if he were joking, but he was still weak.

Riley hugged him against her and couldn't make herself let go of him.

"I thought- I thought- thought that you-" Riley stuttered, now crying uncontrollably, to the point where she couldn't stop sobbing.

Grell pulled away from her a bit, his shadowed eyes wide at her reaction.

"Riley," Grell said, putting a hand to her cheek. "Calm down, darling. You're worrying me."

"I- I'm worrying- you?!" Riley exclaimed, still sobbing. "You- you- you were-"

Grell put a hand to his head, and his breathing became laboured again.

Riley took a deep breath, trying to calm down so she could help him.

"Lay back down, Grell," Riley said in a shaky voice.

He did as she said and laid down on the ground.

"How long was I out?" Grell inquired.

"A day," Riley replied. "You passed out yesterday."

"We have to get to- Vera Simmon's," Grell said, trying to sit up.

"No, not yet " Riley stated, pushing him back down. "You're far too ill to be travelling."

"We- you only have four days left," Grell said, as if she'd forgotten.

"We have enough time," Riley replied, almost in a soothing tone, one that she'd only ever used when addressing her younger siblings years ago, to lead them away.

"We don't," Grell said, still breathing heavily.

"We do," Riley repeated. "Grell, do you know what's wrong with you? Is this just the exhaustion you were telling me about?"

Grell shook his head slowly.

"At first, I thought that was all it could be," he answered. "But now, I know it's more than that. It's something else."

Riley ducked her head and gripped his hand tightly in hers.

"Can reapers get sick?" Riley asked.

"I don't know," Grell said, letting his head fall to the side. He hesitated. "Did you stay with me the entire time, cupcake?" he inquired, looking up at her with the yellow eyes that Riley had thought she'd never see again.

"Of course," she replied, with a small smile. "Of course I stayed with you the entire time."

"You didn't go- to Vera Simmons'?" he asked, his eyebrows knit together.

"I couldn't just leave you here!" Riley said, as if it were obvious. She ducked her head again and felt her eyes burn. She gulped down her unusual emotions.

Grell studied her for moment, with curious eyes.

"Thank you, darling," he said.

Riley nodded at him, wordlessly, a lump still in her throat.

There was so much she wanted to say, but she knew none of it was practical, so she kept her mouth shut.

Suddenly, there was a noise, and Riley quickly looked over to where it had come from.

There was a woman approaching them with a knowing look. She was about fifty years old, with greying hair and chalky blue eyes.

She was wearing a tan shawl over her dress and walked with a cane.

"Riley Fairchild," the old woman said in a scratchy voice. "The girl who runs with the reapers. I've seen so much about you, dear. I always knew this moment would come."

Riley stared up at the woman in shock, her mouth hanging open.

"Vera Simmons?" Riley asked.

The woman nodded.

"Undertaker sent you to me, did he not?" Vera asked.

"He did," Riley replied. "We were on our way to see you-"

"Child," Vera cut in, with a smile. "I know. Your reaper has been poisoned." She bent down a bit and pulled an odd leaf from a bag at her hip. Making a fist, she crumpled the leaf and held it out to Riley. "Give him this. It will heal him."

"You- you already knew?" Riley asked, surprised, as Vera laid the mound of crushed leaves in her palm.

Riley turned to Grell and sprinkled them into his mouth.

"I already knew," the old woman verified. "Years and years ago, when I was a young girl, I saw you two in a vision. I saw a red-headed reaper dying by a pond, while a girl cried over him. I remember the love I saw in her eyes. It struck me when I was young, and I remembered it my entire life. I vowed that when I felt the bond in that vision tighten, I would find you two and help."

Riley's face turned red as the woman talked and Grell laughed.

"Who would poison Grell?" Riley asked, skipping over a certain part the woman had said.

"I'm afraid I don't know, child," Vera replied.

Grell sat up, already looking a bit better than before.

"Thank you, very much for saving Grell's life," Riley said to the woman. "You've done so much for us. But... may I ask you a favour?"

"Certainly," Vera answered, humbly. "I vowed to myself that I would help you."

"I am in a bit of trouble," Riley explained. "Undertaker told me that your visions would help me see a way to fix everything. Do you know what he means?"

Vera smiled a bit, and looked down at the small bag on her hip. She pulled out a bright red leaf and smashed it in her palm. The leaf leaked red fluid, like blood, creating a pulp in her hand.

"There are many directions in which a future may go," Vera said. "You shall see several paths, but there are always more. The directions are infinite. I hope this helps you both, dear, truly I do."

Vera smashed her thumb into her palm of red pulp, and smeared the liquid onto Riley's forehead.

At first, nothing happened.

Then, Riley's forehead started to burn as if fire had licked her there.

Her vision went cloudy, and then-

...

Grell watched as Riley's eyes rolled back until only the whites showed. Her head snapped backward, her face toward the sky.

Her body started seizing, shaking, twitching, like she was having some sort of attack.

Riley fell backward onto her back, spasming violently.

Grell scooted over toward her as she seized and started to look up at the old lady.

"What did you do to her?!" Grell exclaimed, frightened, but nobody was there.

Vera Simmons was gone-


	15. Chapter 15

***Author's Note: Hello! Thanks for reading! We're getting close to the end of this story! Just a few more chapters left! Please let me know what you think so far! Also, I'm writing another story on here for anyone who likes Soul Eater! It's called Stitch by Stitch, so you can read that too if you enjoy Death the KidxOC and Stein! :-) Thank you! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Kuroshitsuji/Black Butler. I only own my OCs! ***

Riley saw blackness all around her, then flashes of everything. Each flash she saw was tied deep within her, as if it were a part of her somehow.

There was a wooden house with smoke drifting from the chimney-

The sound of loud laughter-

Rolling hills, and sunshine-

The smell of flowers somewhere-

Riley could see an open book laying across the foot of a bed-

A carriage travelling too quickly down a curved path-

A man's shadow standing in a doorway at night, looking up at the stars-

A tea kettle whistling-

A clock chiming-

A baby crying-

There was a window with rain slamming against the glass-

Grell looking at her curiously over his glasses-

A vase of flowers sitting on a sink-

A trunk open on the floor with clothes strewn everywhere-

A little girl with red hair, turning around, blinking her yellow eyes in laughter as she held a red stuffed animal against her chest-

"When is he coming home, then, Mummy-?"

Laughter-

Excitement-

Happiness-

Suddenly, all the noises and images all ran together, mashing until they created silence.

Nothing.

Riley saw William T. Spears standing with his back turned-

Someone was running at him-

With the intent to kill him-

It was happening so soon...

...

"... Mummy? What does it mean, to die...?"

...

Riley sat up, gasping for breath, her throat feeling thick with every emotion she'd ever felt before.

Her vision started to return, and her breathing also returned to normal as she gasped.

Grell was sitting beside her, eyeing her curiously.

As soon as she could talk, she turned to him in a panic.

"Will! He's going to die! We- we have to help him-" Riley gasped, trying to stand up.

"Will?" Grell repeated, surprised. "THAT'S what you saw?!"

"I feel- we need to save him- it's going to happen so soon!" Riley exclaimed, finally getting her bearings and standing. "Please, Grell, can you find Will? We need to find him, now."

Grell crossed his arms across his chest, which was now covered. Riley assumed that he'd used his disappearing suitcase to get his clothes back.

"I don't know if I like this, darling," Grell replied. "I didn't think you had anything for Will, to be quite blunt."

"It doesn't matter," Riley said. "We have to find him!"

Grell set his jaw, but there was a sadness about him.

"I don't have anything for him, you loony!" Riley explained. "Your man is safe! We just have to save him. Something is making me. Something in the vision I had."

Grell laughed at her.

"He's not my man, cupcake," Grell replied, amused. "I've got my stakes set on you, now."

He winked at her, suggestively, and Riley felt her cheeks grow hot. She pretended to ignore him.

"Please! Just find him! He's really in trouble," Riley insisted.

Grell huffed, but agreed.

"Fine," he said. "How much time do you think we have? I don't know if I'll be able to do much traveling across realms."

"It's going to happen within the next day," Riley replied, worriedly.

"Oh, fine, I'll go now," Grell said, waving a hand. "In the best-case scenario, I'll be right back, darling!"

He disappeared into thin air, in the blink of an eye.

...

Grell flashed into the realm of reapers, looking around closely for the building that would allow him to put in a request for William to meet him immediately.

Once Grell put in the request, Will would be able to feel that he had a message waiting for him somewhere.

Grell found the building quickly, feeling a bit winded from his energy use, and ran inside.

Locating the desk, he noticed that the man from the other building was typing away on a computer.

"You again?!" Grell exclaimed, surprised. "I thought you worked in the other department?!"

The man continued typing for several minutes, finally looking up at Grell with tired eyes.

"I work in several departments," he replied. "State your business."

Grell sighed and leaned against the desk.

"I need to put in a request for William T. Spears to meet me immediately," Grell replied.

"The request department is backed up at the moment," the man told him, still typing away. "Is Spears away on business right now?"

"How should I know?" Grell asked, a tad agitated. "If I knew where he was, I wouldn't have to put in a request."

The man gave Grell an irritated look before sighing.

"Please wait in the next room. I'll call your name in about fifteen minutes. Then, you may fill out your request form."

"Request form?!" Grell asked. "When did we get those?"

"We've always had them," the man answered.

"Well, something is wrong, because I didn't have to fill out a form the last time I put in a request," Grell stated, crossing his arms.

"That was probably because the request department wasn't backed up then," the man said.

Grell huffed dramatically and turned around to walk back to the next room.

"Remember," the man added, "if you leave the building-"

"I lose my spot- I know, I know!" Grell exclaimed, plopping down in a chair.

He could wait fifteen minutes for now.


	16. Chapter 16

***Author's Note: Hi! Okay so this is a very dramatic scene but I hope you still like it! Personally, I cried while writing this, but I still enjoyed writing it very much! Please let me know what you think! There's only a couple more chapters left! Thanks for reading! * **

Riley waited a few minutes for Grell to come back. He'd said he wouldn't be gone long.

After about ten minutes, Riley paced back and forth, wondering what was taking so long. Finally, after the anxiety from the vision made her heart beat irregularly in her chest, Riley couldn't bear to do nothing any longer.

With a worried sigh, she decided that she would walk back into town and find an inn.

Grell would be able to track her down easily, with him being a reaper and everything.

Riley quickly ran through the woods, her vision still making her chest ache with fear that she had never felt before.

Along with the vision of Will dying, Riley wondered about the other parts as well.

Who was the man standing in the silhouette of the door?

And the little girl with the doll...

Was that...?

Riley shook her head, deciding to ignore the irregular thump in her chest at the images.

She was running quickly, and she realised that she could already see the opening to the town.

What they had walked before in 24 hours, Riley had ran in about ten minutes!

How had she gotten back so quickly?

A bit confused, Riley broke back into the town, following the cobblestone roads as they curved. She kept her eyes open for an inn, wondering why the town was so deserted. Usually, carriages would be bouncing along the road and people would at least be in the windows to the houses. But everything was eerily silent as Riley continued on her search.

She didn't have to run very far, when she suddenly saw someone standing in the abandoned road, staring up into the windows of a wooden house.

"Will?" she whispered in confusion, walking a bit farther in his direction. What was he doing out here? She had to warn him about her vision! He was in trouble! Something was going to happen- soon- "Will!" she screamed, running closer.

He turned to look at her, scratching his head with the blade of his Death Scythe.

"Riley Fairchild?" he asked, sounding a bit surprised.

"Go back to your reaper realm!" Riley found herself screaming. "You have to leave! Now-!"

Suddenly, a man flew out of nowhere, knocking into Will and sending him sprawling onto the ground.

The man straightened as he landed, blinking his red eyes toward Riley.

"Malcolm?" Riley gasped, surprised.

He slowly chuckled and clenched his gloved hands into fists at his sides.

"How are you still-?" Riley breathed, taking a step away from his evil emanations.

"Still alive?" he finished. "Did you truly think I would believe that you'd come alone that night? I knew your reaper would follow close behind you. So my death was a little trick I'd learned. I'm still going to get what I want."

He took a step closer to her, his red eyes flashing back into his silver ones.

"What?" Riley asked, confused.

"I want your soul," Malcolm said, as if it were obvious. "Your soul is so strong, so fierce, so undeniably resilient. It attracts me, Riley Fairchild. I want it, and if you won't willingly sign it over to me, then I shall take it."

Riley blinked in shock, feeling her heart pounding in her throat.

"But- why were you after William, then?" she asked, a bit confused.

"I saw you and your 'butler' speaking with him. It's rumoured that for a demon to take a soul that's not under his contract, the soul of a reaper must be taken first," Malcolm replied, grinning maliciously. "I knew that killing him would bring your soul closer to me, no matter what. If I killed him, and the rumours were false, I'd knew you'd try to stop me, or return to me for vengeance."

Riley looked down at Will, who was listening curiously and holding his head in pain.

"You poisoned Grell, didn't you?" Riley asked Malcolm.

He gave her a triumphant look.

"Of course, I can't take your soul if it's promised to another," Malcolm answered. "I had to get rid of your reaper, so your soul could be mine, and mine alone."

"Well, you won't be getting any more souls," Riley stated, feeling anger uncurl itself in her stomach. This bastard had tried to kill Grell. "Ever."

Suddenly, Will stood up and tried to bring his shears down onto the head of the demon.

But Malcolm turned quickly and grabbed the blades with one hand, flinging Will to the side as if he weighed nothing.

Riley ran at him as well, trying to tackle him like last time, but Malcolm jumped and landed behind her, knocking her feet out from under her.

She landed hard on her ankle, feeling it bend at an odd angle, something in the bone tearing.

With a cry, she fell onto her back, then tried to stand back up.

She ignored the pain in her leg, and ran at him again, but he jumped.

Will stood back up and swung his shears up into the air, trying to slice the demon as he passed, but Malcolm did a backflip and rolled onto the ground unscathed.

Riley turned around, weapon-less, and Will turned around as well. Riley knew she could use her gun, which was still in her hosiery, but she also knew it wouldn't work against him at all.

Malcolm picked up pebbles suddenly, and threw them, making them act as bullets as they ricocheted sharply off the buildings behind them and kicked up dust as they splintered the cobblestone.

Riley threw herself onto the ground, and Will jumped, missing every pebble, but Malcolm picked up more.

He shot more at them, and Riley's fingers clenched William's shirtsleeve as she pulled him down onto the ground. The bullets buzzed quickly past his head.

The demon noticed that Riley had gone to help the reaper, and grinned wickedly.

Malcolm shot even more pebbles at Will, and Riley jumped to push Will out of the way.

"Watch out-" she exclaimed, and he ducked his head on his own- his eyes were wide behind his square glasses-

Thump-

Riley's body jerked forward as she felt something hit her shoulder.

She stared at Will in surprise as blood seeped through her dress and ran down her arm.

She'd been shot.

As she stared at William for a moment, and he only stared back in shock, something like anger boiled up into her chest. She stood onto her numb legs although her strength was fading.

She ran at Malcolm and knocked him into the ground.

"You'll never get my soul!" she screamed, clenching her teeth together.

She raised her fist to punch him-

...

Grell was sitting in the chair at the department building, kicking the foot to his crossed leg in the air impatiently.

It had been longer than fifteen minutes. He's been waiting for what felt like half an hour!

He crossed his arms and sighed in frustration, just wanting his name to get called already.

Suddenly, something seemed to hit Grell in the chest.

He jerked backwards a bit, but he didn't see anything that could have hit him.

An ominous feeling settled down into his stomach.

He knew that feeling.

A name had just bumped itself up on his list.

Riley's. He had to collect her soul soon. Very soon, he could feel it.

He quickly pulled out his book and leafed through the pages until he came across the right one.

He found that 'Riley Fairchild' had been bumped up, and her previous death date had been crossed out, and replaced with a new one. 'September thirteenth, eleven thirty-nine pm' had been replaced with 'September eleventh, twelve oh-seven am'.

That mean Riley would die in less than 24 hours, and he would have to collect her soul.

Grell felt his heart thump uncomfortably as he wondered what on earth had happened to cause this.

What if Riley was in trouble? What if she was dying?

He had to go help her- see what was going on!

But- what about William? Riley had wanted him to find Will, somehow...

Grell jumped up from his seat and ran back over to the desk.

The man didn't even look up at him.

"I need to fill in a request form! Now!" Grell cried, in anxiety. "I have a life-or-death situation occurring right now! As we speak!"

The man continued tapping away on the keyboard, seeming to ignore Grell.

Finally, the man spoke.

"You are a reaper. I would hope that you are always involved in life or death situations."

Grell felt his anger rise.

"Are you going to let me fill one out, or not?" he asked.

"I'm sorry, the request department is still backed up," the man replied, dully. "You're going to have to wait another fifteen minutes."

"This is nonsense!" Grell exclaimed. "I'm leaving."

"If you leave the building, you forfeit your-"

"Take your spot in line and shove it good, for all I care!" Grell added, pushing the door open. "My darling needs me!"

He ran down the street and snapped back into the human realm, feeling himself get pulled automatically toward Riley's soul.

Grell landed in the normal world, a bit wobbly on his feet from all the energy he'd used.

The scene before Grell surprised him.

Riley was straddling... Malcolm?

"You'll never get my soul!" she screamed at the demon.

She raised a fist as if to punch him-

But then William jumped up and pulled Riley off Malcolm and laid her quickly on the ground.

Grell gasped in horror as he realised that there was blood running down Riley's left arm, soaking her dress.

William turned back to Malcolm and used his shears to stab him through the stomach, pinning the demon to the ground.

Grell ran over to where Riley lay, and bent down next to her, feeling his own breath coming in short gasps with panic.

"Riley!" Grell exclaimed as he looked down at her. He removed his vest and pressed it against her shoulder to stop the blood.

She looked back up at him, her blue eyes wide.

"Grell?" she asked, sounding as if she were in shock.

"No, don't, darling," Grell said, in a form of shock as well. He felt himself trying to act normal, as if everything was as it was supposed to be. "Don't hurt yourself."

"Grell, don't be dramatic," Riley gasped, her face becoming paler as she stared up at him. "Please- it's just my shoulder-"

Grell knew it was on her left side, and he hoped fervently that whatever had shot into her shoulder hadn't pierced her heart.

By the frightened look in Riley's eyes, Grell knew she silently understood this.

But she would die in a few hours. She'd been bumped up.

He reached down and gripped her hand, which seemed so limp in his own.

"You're name," Grell choked. "Got bumped up, darling, please don't-"

Riley stared at him for a moment, in shock, then she took a slow breath.

"When-?" she asked.

"Don't worry about that," Grell replied, quietly. "We've got time."

Riley's lower lip trembled as she tried to hold on to her energy.

"Grell-" she breathed, pulling in every breath as if it were her last. "Thank you- for trying... Nobody had ever-"

She paused, coughing suddenly, but no blood came out, to Grell's relief.

"I'm still going to find a way to save you! Don't speak like that, darling," Grell said, his chest constricting tightly. "We still have time-"

Grell saw something drip onto the lenses of his glasses as he bent his head, and realised that tears were falling from his eyelashes.

"Then- why are you- crying-" Riley struggled to say, her eyelids becoming heavy.

"Because-" Grell replied, seeming to fight for words. "Because I love you- that's why I'm crying!" He bent his head again and his breath caught in his throat. "How could I have spent all these weeks with you and not love you?! How did you not see it?! I don't want everything to end like this, darling- I wish I would've gotten here sooner-"

Grell stopped in mid-sentence and struggled to find the correct words.

Riley looked up at him with wide eyes and opened her mouth to speak.

"You did- what you could-" she choked, pulling in ragged breaths. "You taught me so much- I'm glad- I met you- Grell- you've done so much for me..." She felt her eyes grow heavy and knew she was about to pass out.

Grell actually sobbed, and Riley could still feel the strain in her chest. She squeezed his hand a bit.

"I love- you so much- Grell-" she said, a tear curving from her eye down her cheek. "Please-"

"No, no," Grell whispered, as Riley passed out, her head turning to the side. He could still feel her weak heartbeat and knew she still had a few hours yet to live. "No, no, no... darling, no..."

Grell bent his head so his forehead touched hers.

He still had a bit of time- he could find a way to save her-

He could-

It was silent for a few minutes as Grell thought frantically.

"Ahem," someone cleared their throat, and Grell jumped a foot. Turning around, he saw that Will had killed Malcolm, truly this time, and had watched his and Riley's conversation.

Grell turned back to Riley, listening as Will stepped closer to them.

"That girl," he started. "She saved my life."

Grell didn't look up at him.

"I tried to tell them," Grell said, his voice breaking, "that she would benefit the world- but they didn't-"

He cut off, feeling emotion make his throat thick.

"You love her, then?" Will asked although it sounded more like a statement.

Grell didn't answer. William had seen it all for himself, obviously.

"I... I will go talk to the superior reapers for you," Will said.

Grell was stunned into silence for a moment, then finally took a deep breath.

"What?" Grell asked, turning his head to face him.

"I owe Riley Fairchild that much," Will replied. "I am in her debt. Of course, I can guarantee nothing, but I will try."

Grell gave Will a long stare.

"Thank you," Grell said, casting his eyes downward to Riley again. "Thank you so much."

There was nothing but silence, so Grell looked back up, but William was gone, leaving them with nothing but Malcolm's pile of black ashes, which slowly drifted away in the wind.


	17. Chapter 17

***Author's Note: Hello! I'm so close to the ending! I believe that there is only one more chapter left after this one! Thanks to everyone who's read this far! Please review and let me know what you think! :D **

**Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Kuroshitsuji/Black Butler. I only own my OCs: Riley Fairchild, Hansen, Malcolm, and Vera Simmons. ***

Undertaker. Grell could take her to the Undertaker. Maybe that man could try to save her. He was always cutting up bodies, dissecting them, and he was the closest thing Grell had to a doctor.

Scooping Riley up in his arms, Grell ran at his top speed down the road, feeling the time draw nearer for him to collect her soul. The dead weight of her made Grell panic. He hoped Undertaker could do something.

If he couldn't...

Grell only stopped running when he was standing in front of the Undertaker's building. The sign creaked as the wind pushed against it, and Grell entered the cold main room.

He knew he would be quite a sight, his pale face from energy use, blood dripping down onto the floor, his legs wobbling as he stumbled into the room because teardrops smeared against his glasses' lens.

"Undertaker!" Grell called, his dramatic voice cracking a bit. "Undertaker-!"

Suddenly, a door opened beneath a rug, causing the fabric to fly away to the side.

Undertaker pulled himself out of the floor, his hat peeking out first, and he finally noticed Grell standing there, holding a body.

"The time's come, has it?" Undertaker asked, kicking the trapdoor shut behind him and giving Riley a curious glance.

Grell was breathing heavily, from exertion, and swallowed so he could speak.

"You have to help us," Grell said between breaths. "A demon shot her- her name bumped itself up-"

"Ya know if her name has bumped itself up on your list, nothing I do will save her," Undertaker replied, reaching out and taking Riley from Grell's arms.

The strange man turned around and carried Riley into the back room, and Grell worriedly followed behind him, wondering if this idea had been the best.

Undertaker approached a cot on the floor, with a pillow and a blanket, and set Riley down on the cushions.

The room was dimly lit, with only a lantern in the corner to give light. Shadows crossed the rooms like evil spirits trapped in the corners, desperately trying to escape the weak luminescence.

Grell collapsed down onto the floor beside the cot, taking off his spectacles and wiping them on his vest.

"Can you do something to stop the bleeding?" Grell inquired as he put his jewelled glasses back on.

Undertaker plopped down on the floor, next to Grell, and pulled out a needle and thread.

"I can heal her external wounds, but the wounds inside, I can't fix," Undertaker replied, starting to prod inside her shoulder for the pebble that had shot her.

He pulled it out with some tweezers and set it on the floor, before dumping some type of liquor onto her wound from a round glass bottle.

Riley didn't wake up as the alcohol disinfected her shoulder, and Grell found himself in distress again.

"Humans are so weak, and fragile," Undertaker mumbled to himself as he worked. He eyed Riley's face in something like curiosity from behind his hair. "Yet they are also so completely fascinating."

Grell huffed in agreement.

"William is trying to convince the superior reapers to reconsider her," Grell said, feeling too exhausted to act dramatic like he usually did.

"William Spears?" Undertaker asked, finally stitching her wound up. The blood flow stopped, and some colour returned into Riley's cheeks.

"Yes," Grell replied.

Undertaker hummed a bit as he thought, and tied the thread off.

"He's got quite a bit of influence, he does," Undertaker finally replied, dumping more alcohol on top of the stitches. "He may be able to change things."

Grell watched as Undertaker wiped the blood from Riley's skin.

"When's she scheduled to die?" Undertaker asked him.

"In a few hours, just after midnight," Grell answered, feeling something like a rock settle into his stomach.

Undertaker noticed Riley's ankle swelling a bit and wrapped a stick against her leg to keep her ankle straight as it healed, in case something was broken.

"If Riley Fairchild is still on your list, then I can't save her life," Undertaker stated, sadly. "Something will happen to cause her to die. The list is the list, reaper, ya know that much."

Grell found his throat becoming clogged as his breathing turned into gasps.

"I know!" Grell cried dramatically, all of his worry breaking at that point. "I know- I just... I truly thought I could save her! I promised her I would!"

Grell sighed and tossed his red hair back out of his face, then covered his face with his gloved hands. He felt such strong despair, like nothing he'd ever experienced before. He hadn't realised it, but negative emotions were not something he was familiar with.

"Do you feel the pull towards her?" Undertaker asked Grell suddenly, holding a hand out towards Riley as if something were radiating from her.

"Yes," Grell replied. "Only every single day since I've met her! The closer it gets to her death, the weaker I feel! I don't understand it! Reapers are supposed to be strong and versatile! All I ever feel is..."

Grell huffed in agitation, and Undertaker laughed loudly.

"Reapers ARE strong and versatile, whenever they stay observant and emotionally unattached!" Undertaker laughed again. "Why do ya think it's the rules? Nine times out of ten, a reaper will agree that a soul needs to die. They're already emotionally unattached, they are, so why make it a law? For those like you and me, reaper! That's why!"

Grell wasn't quite sure what the Undertaker was getting at, but he was too worried to ask.

He just hoped that Will could talk some sense into the head department.

And judging by Riley's shallow breathing, he hoped Will did it quickly, before it was too late.

...

Undertaker went about his business, doing whatever it was that he did, stopping in sometimes to check on Riley's recovery.

It was true that some colour had returned to her cheeks, but her chest only rose and fell enough to take in the shortest of breaths, and her heartbeat was very quiet as well.

Grell sat on the floor, drowning silently in his absolute worry, almost debating on going back to the superior reapers and begging them to spare her life.

As he quietly sat on the floor, he thought back to the kisses they'd accidentally had, and felt his chest constrict in longing. He wanted that again. He'd never realised how much he wanted it until it was tauntingly beyond his grasp.

Grell looked down at Riley as she lay in front of him. Her pale face, dark lashes and raven hair... The graceful curve of her nose and cheek.

He ran the back of his finger across her forehead and remembered how she had stayed with him when he'd been poisoned.

All Grell wanted was for her to live. He wanted the rest of her life to be thrilling and beautiful. He wanted to cancel out her past and start again from that moment on, to prove to her that life was better than she'd been shown...

He wanted that chance.

But still, as much as Grell willed time to slow down, it ticked on as steadily as ever, and Grell felt his instinct readying himself to collect a soul.

With a sigh, he set his jaw. Where was William?

He was supposed to have been talking to the superior reapers.

Grell gulped and watched the clock, gripping Riley's hand in his own trembling one.

...

"It's midnight," Undertaker said as he entered the dim room.

Grell was still holding Riley's cold hand, his yellow eyes wide behind his glasses.

"She still has seven minutes," Grell told him, as the Undertaker stood by the corner of the room, his arms crossed over his chest.

Riley was still unmoving, and Grell felt tears sting the back of his eyes. But he knew he couldn't cry.

He had to stay calm.

Suddenly, Riley's eyes flickered open a bit, but her eyes were unfocused.

Grell still knew her name was on his list. So far, William hadn't been able to change anything.

Grell looked down at Riley and tried to look calm.

"Well hello, cupcake," Grell strained himself to say cheerfully.

Riley gulped and tried to breathe easier.

"Grell," she whispered, her eyes finally focusing on his own. "I'm... dying... Aren't I?"

She seemed so sure, so absolutely certain that she was dying, that it made Grell's chest ache.

"No, no," he tried to soothe her, rubbing a hand across her hair. "You're just fine, darling, don't talk like that." He paused. "Besides, you still have to tell me what you want to do tomorrow, remember?"

"Tomorrow?" Riley repeated, her head turning to the side.

"Of course. When I save your life, I promised you we could do anything you wanted. As celebration," Grell added, forcing back tears.

It was physically paining him to lie to her this way, but... He didn't want her to worry.

If she died, Grell just wanted her to die peacefully, believing that everything was going to be alright.

"I know... what I want," Riley replied weakly, giving him a small smile.

"What do you want?" Grell asked quietly, still holding on to her hand. "We can do anything you want, darling."

"I just... I just want to..." Her eyes drifted shut as her breaths slowed. "To be with... you forever..."

Her head fell over, and her fingers went limp in Grell's grasp.

He stared down at her for a few moments, feeling something distinct tear inside of him.

All she'd wanted was to be with him?

Grell felt his hoarded tears finally spill over onto his cheeks, and he gripped her limp hand tighter.

"No," he whispered, bending his head over her chest. "No, no, please-"

How could this have happened? They'd been so close!

Grell cried for a long time, feeling his instincts telling him to take her soul, but he pushed against himself in that way.

He refused to take her soul. They could demote him. They could take away his Death Scythe. They could punish him or kill him, anything they wanted.

Grell didn't care.

He wasn't going to do it.

"She's gone now," Undertaker said quietly, as Grell fought internally against himself. "You'll have to collect her soul."

"No!" Grell gasped, clenching his teeth together. "I refuse to-"

He let go of her hand and felt more tears spill over onto his cheeks.

Death was usually such a normal part of his existence. He didn't understand why it was affecting him so harshly.

He didn't want her to die. His chest felt like someone had set fire to his heart.

Suddenly, William appeared in the room, giving Grell a curious glance.

"Collect her soul," William told him.

Grell reared back as if he'd been slapped.

"No!" Grell cried, standing up and forcing himself away from Riley.

"Stop your dramatics and listen," Will said, looking calmly at Grell. "I couldn't get the head Department to spare her life-"

"Obviously!" Grell exclaimed, covering his face with his hands. "She's dead-"

"Listen," Will said sternly, grabbing Grell's shoulder and shaking him. "I couldn't get them to spare her life, but I was able to convince them that her existence may be of benefit... If she were reborn as a reaper."

Grell let the information sink in for a moment, so deeply shocked by Will's words that he only stared at the man.

"Wh... What?" Grell asked, in a whisper.

"You have to take Riley Fairchild's soul," Will continued. "Then, in the middle of the Cinematic Record process, another segment will get added for her existence as a reaper. Her soul will then get directed back into her body, and she will become one of us."

Grell breathed a laugh, in disbelief.

"This is flawless!" Grell exclaimed, grabbing William in a quick hug, and pressing his cheek to Will's.

Will pushed Grell off and Grell laughed, then turned and hugged Undertaker as well, before jumping back over to Riley.

He grabbed his Death Scythe from the air and revved the rigged engine.

Now that he was prepared to collect her soul, he could tell that something was different about the collection process.

Grell took one last look at Riley and everyone around them, then lowered the spinning blade to Riley's shoulder...


	18. Chapter 18

.Grell pulled her Cinematic Record from her chest, and the silver shined brightly as it came in touch with the darkness around it. He blinked back the light, and Riley's memories surrounded him suddenly, wrapping around his body, twisting in the air around him and causing him to stumble. As if her soul had been straining toward him but had been released from it's prison.

Grell saw her memories play in the distance and watched as Riley's parents passed out drunk night after night, as her father sold her to a man who abused her. He heard the screaming, the crying of all the girls.

He saw the bleak loneliness and the unhappiness. He felt the sadness and the terror.

He saw as Riley killed each person one by one, and saw her lock away her emotions, slowly but surely becoming a blank void.

And then Grell saw himself come into the black and white, and the change in Riley was drastic by the end. He was a spark of red in her disregarded life, and Grell watched as she smiled, as she laughed, as she cried.

Grell knew the end of the record was approaching. He could feel the tension building.

And then, the fight she had with Malcolm, which killed her...

The Cinematic Record flashed into the end of his chainsaw, then doubled around and re-entered her chest, zipping back into her body with a blinding flash of light.

Grell felt as a part of himself was pulled away with her Record, and aided in making her a reaper.

Then, everything stopped.

Grell took a deep breath and tried to get the memories out of his head.

He looked down at Riley, but she was still unconscious.

Will reached an arm out and handed Grell a pair of beginner's glasses.

"She'll need these when she wakes up," Will said, seeming almost concerned behind the cool mask he had fabricated.

Grell took the spectacles silently.

Suddenly, Riley sat up, and held her head as if she were dizzy.

"Grell," she said, not looking anywhere but straight ahead. Her chest rose and fell rapidly with her panic, and she raised a hand in the air as if to touch something. "Grell."

"I'm right here, my darling! I'm right here!" Grell exclaimed, dramatically exuberant. He crouched down next to her and stared into her yellow-green eyes, before crushing her into a hug. "I've never been more happy to see someone before in my entire existence, cupcake! Please tell me you feel alright!"

"I think I'm fine," Riley replied. "Where am I? Everything's so- I can't see anything."

"Oh!" Grell leaned away from her and slipped a pair of glasses onto her face. "You'll need these from now on."

She blinked as her eyes grew accustomed to the lenses, and then she put a hand up to the frames.

"Why do I...?" she asked Grell, confused.

"Will found a way to save you," Grell explained, looking up at the other reaper. "To save your soul, he had to convince them that your soul would be beneficial... if you were a reaper."

Grell studied her cautiously, gauging her reaction.

"I'm a..." Riley said, looking back into Grell's eyes.

"A reaper," Grell finished.

Riley looked up at Will in surprise, and Undertaker handed her a very small mirror so she could see herself.

She looked exactly the same except her usually blue eyes were green and yellow, and she had on a pair of round glasses.

"You saved my life," Will told her, "so I was in your debt. A life for a life."

"Thank you," Riley said, feeling a tad guilty. "I'm... I'm sorry I spit in your glasses."

Will almost cracked a smile, but caught himself at the last second, and bowed a bit at them.

"I must be going," Will said. "Take her by the departments later, and we'll train her with the other new reapers. Maybe after a while, she can get a decent pair of glasses."

Grell nodded at the man, and Will disappeared in a blink.

Undertaker bent down and bent his head at her, as if he were studying her.

"How's your shoulder feel, lady?" Undertaker asked, and Riley looked down at her wound, and moved her arm a little.

"It doesn't even hurt," Riley replied, looking a bit surprised.

"And your leg?" Undertaker inquired.

"Like it never even happened," Riley said, unwrapping it and wiggling it around.

"Downright astounding, it is," Undertaker continued to look her over in awe.

Grell took Riley's hand and helped her stand up.

She stood up with ease, and realised that her muscles all seemed looser and more nimble.

Riley looked back over at the Undertaker.

"Did you do this?" she asked, motioning toward the stitches and wrappings on the ground.

"Indeed I did, dearie," Undertaker grinned at her. "Ya had us quite worried there."

"Thank you so much," Riley ducked her head and gave him a small smile.

"Anytime, anytime at all! My doors always open to Riley Fairchild. Any friend o' hers is a friend o' mine," Undertaker gave her a grin.

Riley smiled back, and Grell led her out the front door.

...

Back out in the dark night streets, Grell walked a bit in front of her, leading her somewhere, and Riley pulled on his arm.

He stopped and looked back at her, giving her a curious glance.

"Grell," Riley said, and studied him for a moment.

"Yes, darling?" Grell laughed, giving her a pointed grin, and looking at her from beneath his eyelashes. Just like he had in her vision... Right before the... Riley knew which direction her life would probably go, and she breathed a laugh in disbelief

Riley felt something make her chest feel light, then she suddenly ran at him.

She pressed her lips against his, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him close.

Grell laughed against her lips and squeezed her around her waist, almost picking her up, and Riley deepened their kiss.

They stayed like that for what felt like forever, and Grell ran his fingers over her cheek.

Riley backed away from him, and ducked her head, but Grell put a hand under her chin to make her look at him.

He grinned and pulled her close to him, with a chuckle.

"Remember what you said to me earlier, cupcake?" he asked, as Riley laid her head against his chest.

"About what?" Riley inquired.

"About what you wanted to do once we saved your life," Grell said.

"I remember," Riley answered, wondering where he was going with this.

"I'm going to make it happen, just like I promised," Grell said, a grin in his voice. "Don't you ever leave me again, darling! And I mean it!"

Riley laughed, and hugged him tighter.

"I won't," she replied. "What are we doing now?"

"Well!" Grell started, "I was going to show you how to run into the reaper realm, take you to the departments, find you your new Death Scythe, and put in a request to be your trainer while you work your way up."

"Oh," Riley said, trying to sound disappointed.

"What's wrong?" Grell asked, confused.

"I was going to go find an inn and then try that dress on," Riley said, purposely not looking at him. "I need a new appearance, now that I'm a reaper and all, and I needed someone to tell me how I looked."

Grell was silent for a moment, then clutched her shoulder.

"The departments can wait, darling! We need to find an inn, as quickly as possible!" He took off down the road, practically dragging her with him as he went.

Riley laughed and they disappeared around the corner, the stars in the clear night sky twinkling above them.

~ The End ~

..

***Author's Note: Okay! That's the end! I honestly had too much fun writing this story! Please tell me what you thought about everything!

Also, I am debating writing a sequel, but I'm not sure... What do you guys think?

Thank you so much for reading this far! And thank you to everyone who commented and favourited and followed! You gave me the confidence to continue! :-) Thanks! 3 ***


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